Like an object, women must possess the greatest qualities. 

Picture-perfect face, tiny cinched  waist, and a pure personality—an ideal partner, a precious trophy. May it be a conscious or an unconscious desire, nonetheless shaped by the system from the very start.

“This is Laaaans!” A simple introduction yet it has captured the hearts of many. While scrolling through TikTok, you may have come across a rising Filipina content creator Louise Anne Nagal, or also known as LANS, and she has become trending for the right and, unfortunately, the wrong reasons.

LANS is gaining traction for her educational and wholesome content, which is  seldom seen in the social media community. Albeit TikTok being a platform for dancing, it has also become a space for various expressions—expressions that are soaked in negativity and laced with malice. How empty, how dull, there’s nothing to learn, there’s nothing to earn.

Skyrocketed by buried patriarchy

Many so-called “fans” claim that LANS embodies the flawless image of a pure woman, unsurprisingly, most of these fans are men.  Reason being that she rose to popularity without vulgarity, and apparently, expressing one’s identity and sexuality is now a dictation of their value as a woman.

“Ika kasi ng mga kalalakihan sa kanyang mga video ay natuto ka nainlove ka pa sa kanyang no makeup, straight forward unfiltered persona” an excerpt from Facebook page Kaalaman on their post about LANS.

When she wanted to spread knowledge and facts, she was met with perverse behavior. LANS’ intellectual content was then diluted to her body under the guise of  commending her.

“she deserves recognition because of her content. period. hindi dahil mas “morally acceptable” siya kumpara sa ibang babae. kung kailangan ninyong gamitin siya para manghamak ng mga babaeng sumasayaw, nag momodel, nagpapakita ng balat sa camera, o nag-eexpress ng sexuality nila, hindi kayo humahanga sa intelligence. naghahanap lang kayo ng bagong paraan para kontrolin at husgahan ang kababaihan.” A netizen wrote in a Facebook post in response.

This shows that patriarchy had never been defeated, it was just buried—instead, it works behind curtains. Curtains that are slowly being opened once more.

Glamorizing Traditional Roles 

Have we gone too comfortable with our feigned liberty?

“Just because you have rights today does not mean you will have rights tomorrow. Don’t think the fight is over, the fight has just begun.” Sheryl Lee Ralph declared at a Human Rights Campaign.

It has been over a century since the first wave of feminism, yet we have only truly begun to feel its impacts on the world as recent as the 1920s, in contrast to when women were silenced for more than a millennium. A glaring disparity, a blaring truth to bear.

In spite of what preceded, society has begun to spiral backwards. What progress has occurred has started to regress. While sexist remarks had never ceased, for a moment it was quiet—quiet during the peak of women’s unshackled freedom. Yet how ephemeral, for the system does not ever fail its founders.

A disturbingly digressive trend seems to have seeped into the new generation,  drifting the nonconformist narrative back to a traditional and old-fashioned gender dynamic. “Trad wife”  is what they call it, which is truly oppressive propaganda—unfortunately, young women are being brainwashed to hold onto this belief, to be reduced as a property.

Except, women are not objects. Women do not have to fit one image to deserve respect. 

A woman is defined more than her measurements, she is not expected to be reserved. She can be confident, expressive, and herself. That is more than enough to be loved.