How Elaine Abonal Goes Beyond the “Mestiza Beauty” for Her Daughter, Tala
The Surfista Coach Elaine Abonal reveals how she’s breaking the stereotype of the mestiza with her 5-year-old Tala.
It’s common knowledge that mixed Filipinos have quite a lot in the looks department. The mestiza or the mestizo (for boys) look always charms the room, having that perfect blend of Western blood and Filipina beauty. While those looks have their benefits in pageantry and entertainment, some moms like The Surfista Coach Elaine Abonal find that the assumption can be quite limiting.
“I think as a Filipina mother and Filipinos in general, it is time for us to tell our children that they can be whatever they want to be, especially to our daughters,” she writes on her Instagram.
But that’s not to say pageantry and entertainment aren’t hard work.
Beauty and a thriving career in entertainment are still accomplishments for many, considering their many facets. However, we sometimes zero in on the aesthetics: the skin tone which is more wheat to pinkish, the almond-shaped eyes, and the height beyond five feet. And if we look at the majority of our beauty queens, actors, and actresses, they have similar features. Thus, it’s no surprise that some consider the mestiza or tisay look the standard.
While praising her friends who have made it in both industries and appreciating the compliments for her daughter’s beauty, Elaine clarifies that she “breaks the tradition” with her daughter by telling her she has options beyond the formers.
“Our daughters don’t only have their beautiful looks and unique features,” she adds. “There is SO much in the world that can be accomplished because of their strength, passion, and brains.”
Encourage and compliment beyond beauty
There’s nothing wrong with telling our mestiza or tisay daughters that they’re gorgeous. But our compliments need to go beyond that. Focusing purely on aesthetics can lead to self-esteem issues, especially since puberty hits with a variety of skin-marring issues like acne and blackheads. Plus, not every girl ages into adolescence gracefully. Some bloom later than others.
And for those whose daughters “bloom” later than others, a beauty contest isn’t the only contest they can. There’s a Science contest and even sports competitions — as Elaine Abonal writes, “I will also tell her [her daughter Tala] the hundreds and thousands of possibilities that are waiting for her as a strong, capable, intelligent, and unique woman.”
Or as Grey’s Anatomy’s Cristina Yang says, “If you wanna compliment me, compliment my brain!”
More about beauty standards or breaking stereotypes?
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