Last night, I had the privilege of attending the American Idol Live Tour. It was, in itself, an amazing show with amazing talent.
But one singer - and one song - stuck with me last night. It struck me so powerfully that I am compelled to share it with you.
The singer was Thia Megia. The song was a cover of Selena Gomez' "Who Says".
APA Kos boiler plate and Seal of Approval™
APA Kos is a group for exploring issues that affect the Asian/Pacific American community. Themes such as APA history and experiences, APA candidates and politicians, and APA community issues are encouraged.
APA Kos doesn't discriminate - you don't have to be an Asian/Pacific American to contribute - and we won't judge on "asian-ness". Dialogue should remain respectful, even in disagreement.
For those of you who don't follow American Idol, you can find a quick rundown on wikipedia here. It's basically a singing talent contest, where the winner is chosen after multiple rounds of voting.
Thia was a contestant on this past season of Idol. She's a very talented singer, and was one of 11 out of thousands to seal a spot on this tour.
A Filipino-American, Thia brought a new dimension to this season's performances. She was, I believe, a great mold-breaker of the stereotype that Asian/Pacific Americans typically endure. To name a few: "The bookworm", "over-achiever", "one-dimensional".
The American Idol program reaches millions of people, many of whom probably still believe the stereotypes to be true. Out of ignorance, out of convenience, or out of malice. But when they are confronted with reality - a Fil-Am young woman who has an amazing talent for singing but exhibits all of the multi-dimensional traits not assigned to an "other"- the perpetuation of the stereotypes may begin to fade over time.
On another angle, the historical perception of Asian/Pacific American women is full of incorrect perceptions and contradictions. I'll save the full run down as a future article (unless an enterprising reader would like to undertake the task), but will list several of the stereotypes APA women are seen in.
* Filipino women in particular have been characterized as "manipulative" (I couldn't find any non-paywall studies, but if you google "filipino women manipulative" you'll find some very disturbing comments- not linked for obvious reasons)
* Asian/Pacific women are seen as subservient to men, "like women should be", or objects of intense drive and desire (wiki)
* Again, for Filipino women, looks and appearance become an object for those with racial prejudice. Filipino women endure insults "looking like dogs", or the insult that Filipinos in general are "monkeys"
It is in this context that Thia's performance of "Who Says", a song about finding beauty in yourself without relying on the outside world, hit home.
I wouldn't wanna be anybody else.
You made me insecure
Told me I wasn’t good enough
But who are you to judge
When you’re a diamond in the rough
I’m sure you got some things
You’d like to change about yourself
But when it comes to me
I wouldn’t want to be anybody else
Na na na
Na na na
I’m no beauty queen
I’m just beautiful me
Na na na
Na na na
You’ve got every right
To a beautiful life
C'mon
[Chorus]
Who says
Who says you’re not perfect
Who says you’re not worth it
Who says you’re the only one that’s hurting
Trust me
That’s the price of beauty
Who says you’re not pretty
Who says you’re not beautiful
Who says
(
Source)
Like I said, this performance inspired me. It gave me hope. My daughter, though young, may one day find herself confronted with the ugly elements of society which wish to bring her down. But by chipping away at the stereotypes and racial malignancy that still exists in America, artists like Thia, and songs like "Who Says" may make this a better place for her.
You can find one of her performances at YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/...