HELLO WOMEN ATTACHED!

Today is the last day of Women's Month in the Philippines, yet how far have we gone in instilling the value of concepts of self-identity and self-achievement among women in media?

Just look at the following names:

Vilma Santos-RECTO

Judy Ann Santos-AGONCILLO

Regine Velasquez-ALCASID

Why the need for hyphenated names? Are they afraid of losing their husbands to other women and so they must put down that territorial title? 

Why the need to attach the names of their husbands? Were they already married when they achieved their popular status in media, in particular films?

Are they not presenting a regressive attitude towards marriage to their fans? 

What about in radio? I think radio female broadcasters are more liberated, as they have sported their own names even if they had gotten married. Or are some sporting their husbands' name instead of their own? We have no data on that as the KBP website is very sparse on particulars of the broadcast industry. 

The fifties and sixties women artists are more liberated I think. Just read these names:

Gloria Romero who retained her name despite being married to Juancho Gutierrez.
 
Susan Roces, known as such though married to equally famous FPJ.


Amalia Fuentes married before to Romeo Vasquez.



Earlier women artists include:

Carmen Rosales with Rogelio de la Rosa (no data with whom she got married) 


Tessie Quintana was married to movie actor Johnny Reyes, the brother of Efren Reyes, Sr. who also used to appear as Tessie’s leading man.

They were all movie queens in their own right and never did they  tamper with their names. 

Now Vilma's husband is in politics and probably wants to earn votes by attaching his name to hers. 


Judy Ann Santos' name is mentioned many times over in an advert for a commercial product. I wonder why they couldn't just say: Judy (speaking): My husband Ryan and I think that...." instead of plainly attaching his family name as if to say that the product being sold should be a family business. 



Now Regine became known as the birit queen and was famous for a time when she decided to hitch with a married man. Now that she has tied the knots to him, does she have to show that he is now hers forever and ever as she is sporting his name?



I think women in media should rise above their personal situations and commit themselves eternally to loving their constituents, their fans who love them because of their talents and not because of their personal attachments. 

Genuine artistry requires full self-identity because of their God-given talents and their sharing them with the world. 

Let women artists be true to themselves. That is their legacy to the many women, and the public, ultimately.