The hottest thing to be right now is Asian. Seriously, from the “turning Chinese” trend to the Bebot trend, TikTok is at a very Asian time in its life. As a Filipino-American, a part of me is excited about seeing representation in action. But as the trends have continued to grow, the sweetness of representation is beginning to sour.
The first time I saw the Bebot trend (started by Filipina creator @monique_libres), I was hyped. Not only is it set to “Bebot” by the Black Eyed Peas (which is rapped entirely in Tagalog by every Pinoy’s favorite BEP member, Sapangbato’s own Apl.De.Ap), but it’s one of the first — and only — mainstream social media trends that celebrates Filipina beauty. As creators lip-sync to the track, they transition from being barefaced to being a “bebot” — a Tagalog slang word which, essentially, means “baddie.” I’ve loved scrolling through the sound and seeing so many Filipino content creators jumping on the trend. Seeing people who look like me rack up millions of views and being celebrated for their Southeast Asian features has been empowering to me. But now, millions of views later, it feels like we’re losing the plot — especially since, throughout my life, “looking Asian” was considered an insult.
Growing up as a half-white, half-Filipino girl in a predominantly white town was just as confusing as you’d probably expect. My last name (Mitchell) is about as white as you can get without being a Smith, but that didn’t make wrestling with my identity any easier. My skin still got significantly darker in the summertime, my eyes were still almond-shaped, my hair was still thick and coarse and wavy — different from my white friends with silky hair. Sure, I didn’t look as clearly Filipino as my mother, but I didn’t look as white as my father, and that didn’t shield me from the fact that “looking Asian” was something kids made fun of each other for.
I distinctly remember a girl coming to me after someone had, apparently, mistaken her for being Asian because of her eyes — which were almond-shaped, but also bright blue and sat on a face comprised of entirely Eurocentric features. Hearing her talk about it, you would’ve thought that someone had told her she looked like some kind of mutant — she was confused, irritated, and, above all else, upset. I remember standing there as she ranted on and on about how people mistake her for Asian and thinking to myself, What’s so wrong with looking Asian?
This isn’t a unique experience for those of us who grew up of Asian descent: We’ve seen the clothing we were once made fun of for wearing be recreated with a new name by white fashion brands and the food we were made fun of for eating at the lunch table become the new, hot recipe of the week, thanks to a white creator. And now, thanks to them hopping onto things like the Bebot trend, the features we were made fun of for having are now considered the trending “look” on the FYP.
Think about it: along with the rise of the Bebot trend, we’ve also seen procedures like “fox-eye lifts” become popular, which elongate the eyes to be sharper and more angular. Things like face and eye tape are rising in popularity, too, which also gives the illusion of Asian features. For years, having smaller eyes was something that white girls cried over. But now? It’s something they’ll pay $7 on Amazon, or use some extra eyeliner, to have.
Now, I’m not saying that white people, or any other race, are barred from trying the Bebot trend. In fact, it’s brought me so much joy to see people from all different backgrounds lip-sync a song in the language my grandfather spoke, and feel super great about themselves doing it. If “turning yourself into a bebot” and following a 2000s Asian baddie makeup tutorial makes you feel confident, then I’m all for it, regardless of your race.
But, there is a distinct difference between appreciating a culture and taking it on as a trend. Because when the Bebot trend inevitably fades and the next aesthetic takes over, those who participated can simply wipe off their makeup and start again — something I, and other Asian-Americans, can’t do. They don’t have to carry the weight of the years when those same features, and our culture, were nothing more than a punchline.
I’ve always been proud to be Filipino, and seeing the world finally hype up our beauty is a win, as far as I’m concerned. I just hope that when the next trend comes along, the people who wore our features as a filter remember that for us, being Asian isn’t a trend. I’m a bebot because of the features I inherited from my mother and my grandparents and Filipino roots — and I still will be long after the algorithm moves on to another facet of Asian culture.