Women’s group fires at Cristy Fermin for alleged ‘sexist remarks’

Women's group Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) has denounced entertainment columnist and TV host Cristy Fermin for purportedly issuing “sexist statements which condone abuse of women.”

To substantiate their claim, Jean Enriquez, executive director of the group, quoted a remark that Fermin reportedly uttered in one of her shows: "’...dalawang lalaking personalidad lang ang parang pinapayagan ng publiko na maging ‘matulis.’ Si Rico J. Puno lang at saka si Willie [Revillame]. Pag sila ang nag-deliver para bang malaking karangalan mo pag mabastos ka.”

According to Enriquez, Fermin’s statement is dangerous in that it seemingly "dignified harassers" by implying that sexual pestering of women is an acceptable act as long as it is done by certain personalities or “as long as one is able to 'deliver it well' ala-Rico J. or Willie R.”

“The [statement] justifies sexual harassment when done by certain individuals,” said she in an interview with abscbnnews.com, adding, “Is there a worse way of humiliating women than by dignifying harassers?”

Enriquez also slammed Fermin for a separate remark the latter supposedly made against singer Aiza Sequerra, which they quoted, thus: "(Aiza) Seguerra should not talk about morality as she lives an immoral life.”

Enriquez said the statement “maligns lesbians as immoral.”

“Homophobia and stigmatization of lesbians is also a form of gender-based violence,” she explained.

Enriquez condemned both statements deeming them "appallingly, terribly sexist statements which condone abuse of women.”

Prior to CATW-AP lambasting Fermin, the controversial TV host already denied the matter in her interview with TV5’s “Aksyon Journalismo” saying,  “Hindi para sa’kin ang magsabi na karangalan ng isang babae ang mabastos ni Willie Revillame dahil babae rin ako.”

Fermin clarified in the same interview that the statement is simply about the delivery of “green jokes” nothing more. She, however, didn't address the remark she allegedly made against Seguerra.

Meanwhile, Enriquez went on to criticize media for allegedly making it "normal" to sexually objectify women and children specifically citing the recent hullabaloo involving a 6-year-old boy’s crude gyrations as seen on “Willing Willie.”

“Media has long played a critical role in objectifying women, including children as shown by the now controversial episode of Willie Revillame's program, and this has led to the normalization of abuse against us,” she explained.

Source:http://networkedblogs.com/

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