The protester whose photo from the Sept. 21 rally went viral has responded to body-shaming remarks by affirming that body hair and skin discoloration are natural—and that the real outrage should be directed at corruption and systemic abuse.
In a Facebook post on Sept. 26, Nathalie Geralde explained that her group, Sining Lila, joined the “Baha sa Luneta” protest to demand accountability. “Pagtungtong namin ng Sining Lila sa entablado, malinaw ang mensaheng gusto naming ipanawagan: ipanagot ang mga korap at tuldukin ang opresyon at pananamatala dala ng kasulukuyang administrasyon,” she wrote.
She emphasized that the criticisms over her appearance reflect a deeper issue. “Ito lamang ay bunga ng misogynistic at patriarchal na lipunan na linilihis ang ating pokus sa tunay na isyu,” Geralde said, stressing that women’s worth goes far beyond physical beauty.
“Ang kagandahan ng babae ay hindi nagtatapos sa pisikal na anyo… kayang-kaya ng babae na lumikha, mag-isip, mag-question, magalit at higit sa lahat, ipanagot ang nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan!” she declared.
Geralde also called out the billion-peso beauty industry for profiting off insecurities. “Ang katawan ng babae ay tanging pagmamay-ari niya. Hindi ito dapat ginagamit para pagkakakitaan ng mga whitening products. Hindi ito dapat iniinsulto o tinatawanan,” she said.
She linked body shaming to colonial and patriarchal standards imposed on women. “Ang pag-iisip na ito ay bunga lang din ng mahabang kasaysayan ng kolonyalismo… Hayaan niyo kaming magpasya sa anyo ng kagandahan na tunay na magpapalaya sa amin,” she stressed.
The youth activist thanked those who defended her against the backlash. “Tama kayo. Hindi dapat ang bagay na napakanormal katulad ng buhok at diskolarasyon ang pinapakealaman natin. Ang dapat nating kalampagin ay ang mga buwayang opisyal na imbis magserbisyo, nagpapakalunod sa luxurious items na galing naman sa pera ng taxpayers!” she said.
“Sa lipunang kinakahon ang kababaihan sa unrealistic beauty standards, wag na wag mong ibaba ang iyong kamao! Hindi nakakahiya ang katawan na nakikibaka para sa patas at anti-korap na kinabukasan,” she added. “Ang buhok at diskolarasyon sa kili-kili ay katiting lamang kung ikukumpara sa suliranin na kinakaharap natin.”
Geralde joined thousands of Filipinos at Luneta Park and the EDSA People Power Monument on the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law to call for justice, transparency, and the return of ill-gotten wealth. She became the subject of online mockery after critics zeroed in on her underarm hair instead of her message.
Sining Lila, composed of women and LGBTQ+ artists, denounced the attacks. “We urge the public not to be distracted by superficial attacks meant to silence dissent and derail critical discourse,” the group said, adding, “It is not armpit hair that should offend us—it is the theft of public wealth, the silencing of voices, and the continued suffering of the Filipino people under a rotten, unjust system.”
