Filipino netizens criticize Doja Cat (real name Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini) after she explains why she named her single "Balut."
It all started when she released her song on Sept. 15. After that, she posted an Instagram story to explain why she named it after the popular Philippine dish. Unfortunately, many Filipinos were unhappy with her explanation, saying that the American singer misrepresented their culture.
Doja Cat Bashed by Filipino Netizens
According to NBC News' latest report, Doja Cat said that she named her single "Balut" because the song signifies a bird that's "being eaten alive."
"It's a metaphor for Twitter stans [obsessive fans] and the death of Twitter toxicity. The beginning of 'X' and the end of 'tweets,'" said the singer.
Because of her description of balut, social media users from the Philippines were disappointed and outraged. Some of them bashed the artist, saying that Doja Cat was ignorant.
Others explained that the words she used to describe the Filipino dish could lead to more culturally or racially insensitive interpretations of Philippine cuisine. One of the individuals who criticized her was Tony DelaRosa, a Filipino-American author who wrote the "Teaching the Invisible Race."
"Filipinos see it as a delicacy. Why is that not being conveyed in that way? We should uphold it," DelaRosa explained.
Possible Negative Effects of Doja Cat's Statement
For those unfamiliar with or have no idea what balut is, NDTV explained that it is a dish made of a fertilized developing egg embryo, which is boiled and eaten directly from the shell. Usually, the egg is from a duck. In short, balut is not eaten alive. DelaRosa's explanation of Doja Cat's statement triggered more negative reactions from Filipinos.
This is because balut, which should be a Filipino delicacy, is being seen by other people worldwide as weird or somewhat "barbaric." Balut is already being stereotyped in the Western media, making it a stunt food instead. This can be seen in shows like "Fear Factor" and "The Late Late Show with James Corden."
In these TV shows, guests and hosts are usually dared to eat balut and other food that the Western media portray as "weird."
As of writing, Doja Cat hasn't commented on the backlashes she's receiving from Filipino netizens. But, she doesn't appear to dislike the Filipino dish since some of her Instagram videos show her eating it.
