Even the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has gotten itself involved in the GlutaMAX ad controversy.
In a statement that appeared in the CHR’s official Facebook account today, their spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said that whitening brands can promote their products, but they must do so without perpetuating colorism.
She said that the CHR is reminding businesses of their moral obligation to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected.
“We recognize that these companies present an option to lighten one’s skin, but they may do so without perpetuating colorism, particularly discriminating against those with darker skin. Instead, we hope that they use their respective platforms to encourage greater acceptance of our diversity and oneness as part of one humanity,” de Guia said.
While the CHR did not mention a specific brand, their statement comes after the controversy surrounding GlutaMAX’s online ads. The ads led to a massive online furor over the weekend because they insinuated that Filipinos should whiten their skin to receive better treatment in society.
The company apologized yesterday, a few days after the ads were released online. They said they’ve realized that they caused great discomfort and even pain to many Filipinos. They also said that “the best intentions are never an excuse for causing harm.”
Shortly after their apology, the Ad Standards Council (ASC), which is responsible for regulating the local advertisement industry, said that they actually rejected GlutaMAX’s ad. The ASC said that the ad was a violation of their rules and that the whitening company’s decision to release it without their approval will be dealt with according to their rules and regulations.
One of the women who spoke out against the ad was Bianca Gonzalez, a TV presenter known for being proud of her dark skin.
She wrote on Twitter: “There is no problem AT ALL if you want to whiten your skin. The problem is when whitening brands make it appear that you should feel pity for us just because we are dark. We are not people you should feel pity for, because our skin color is beautiful.”
Just a note from a Filipina with brown skin since birth:
There is no problem AT ALL sa mga gustong magpaputi. The problem is when whitening brands make us look "kaawa awa" dahil lang maitim kami. Kasi, hindi po kami kawawa, maganda ang kulay namin.
— Bianca Gonzalez (@iamsuperbianca) April 13, 2019
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