Bela Padilla: What's wrong with being liberated?
19 Jun – Actress Bela Padilla recently expressed frustration after being accused of being a bad influence on Maris Racal.
As reported on PEP, the issue sparked recently when a netizen claimed that Racal has changed a lot since being friends with the "liberated' Padilla, using Racal's recent "revealing gown" as an example of Padilla's bad influence.
In response to the criticisms, Padilla said that she rarely met with Racal, and "working out" was the only thing they did together when they saw each other.
She also expressed puzzlement over the use of the word "liberated", saying that aside from travelling, all she has done is work.
In a series of Twitter posts later on, Padilla discussed the use of the word "liberated" and wrote, "I recently saw my name in a non-issue and was called "liberated." And that scared me a little because I grew up in a household where that term shouldn't be attached to a woman. But I checked out what it really means and yes, I am free from social conventions and traditional ideas."
"I accept roles that are not always the typical damsel in distress who cries over everything. And although I do enjoy them, I love my weird films and strong independent characters too. Aside from that I can't see how else I could be liberated because I'm at work literally every day.
"I have working days when I finish early (like once in three months) when I can go out, and eat good food and drink, but only when I have a driver to take me home. And I'm 27. I can do these things. Or is it because I travel far? Because the last time I checked, I paid for those...
"I've never asked anybody else to pay for my trips. And at 27, this is quite long overdue. And to the young girls reading this, I admonish you to do the same at least once before you settle down. I realize the stigma that the word has is strong in this country. Even I had a bad notion about it. But now that I can think for myself... I can't think of what could possibly be wrong about being a woman who is free to express herself through her art and makes a decent living enough for her to enjoy and see the world."
Finally, she addressed her bashers, saying, "...the sun is finally out today. Put your phone down and enjoy the warm sun. If it rains again, enjoy that too. There's a whole world outside, not just the dark one festering away in your head."
(Photo Source: Bela Padilla Instagram)
