By Atty. James Jimenez
If you happen to be one of the people blessed enough to have remained oblivious about what happened to young demi-celebrity Maris Racal, my apologies. Today is the end of your blissful un-awareness.
Over the last weekend, Philippine internet was abuzz with news of Racal’s risqué text messages to a fellow actor – with whom she apparently has a movie coming out – who, as it turns out, has a girlfriend. The girlfriend had taken pictures of the message exchanges between the two, and posted them on a popular social media site, together with pictures of her own conversations with her (apparently cheating) boyfriend, essentially showing how the infidelity was affecting her.
Racal was already in the public eye following her unflattering breakup with another celebrity, which some people blamed on this fellow actor she was now caught texting with; to have these messages come out now was like pouring gasoline onto a pile of smoldering coals. And now, for the past week or so, Racal has been on blast from nearly everyone and their mother.
There are democracy implications here – believe me.
Through a democracy lens
When something so thoroughly consumes Philippine social media, it is worth talking about. Especially when it is clearly developing into a microcosm of how public discourse is shaped and how societal power dynamics influence narratives around accountability, gender, and justice.
Beyond the salacious, let us talk about how public shaming and the resultant mob justice is undermining due process.
In a democracy, the principles of fairness and justice occupy places of high honor. The public excoriation of Maris Racal, all without a full understanding of the circumstances or evidence, much less an opportunity for the involved individuals to speak up in their own defense, reflects how social media has come to function as a tool for mob justice rather than informed discussion. And this is true where the persons involved are being raked over the coals of public opinion over celebrity gossip or for serious allegations of law-breaking.
Not to put too fine a point on it, the Racal phenomenon we are now seeing unfold, sets a dangerous precedent where the loudest voices – in this case motivated by bias and deeply ingrained misogyny – can dominate narratives, effectively disregarding the democratic ideals of equity and due process.
It is also worth noting that the amplification of misogyny, inherent in the slut shaming of the woman involved, weakens gender equality.
Democracy is founded on the bedrock principle of equal rights and opportunities for all individuals, regardless of gender. How Maris Racal has been disproportionately vilified, however, underscores how deeply entrenched misogyny undermines women’s participation in public life.
What this tells us is that women are not allowed to step outside their traditional ascribed roles of meek, and chaste Maria Claras, and that they are constantly scrutinized, policed, or publicly shamed, in case they stray from that ideal. We may not often think of it in these terms, but this subliminally discourages women from showing assertiveness or even stepping into leadership roles or speaking out, thus limiting their representation and voice, to the ultimate detriment of the democratic processes.
Social Media is a loudspeaker
This controversy also emphasizes how social media is a loudspeaker that can be used for spreading misinformation or amplifying biased narratives without accountability.
It’s a good development that people – especially lawyers in the public discourses – are now talking about the liability of persons under the data privacy act. Going beyond the bounds of the current controversy, the public release of private messages, such as those between Racal and the actor, raises significant concerns about privacy of lawful communications, and the use of surveillance to police personal behavior.
Privacy is a fundamental right, and private interactions ought not to be weaponized to shame individuals—especially women. In a democratic society where an informed citizenry is essential for healthy discourse, imposing a chilling effect on half of the population erodes the quality of public discussion. Ultimately, the glaring lack of outrage toward the male actor involved in this controversy reflects a power imbalance where men often evade scrutiny. This unequal treatment not only perpetuates patriarchal norms but also weakens trust in the democratic principle of equal accountability under the law and social standards.
Beyond tsimis
The Maris Racal issue is symbolic of the broader challenges facing democracy in the digital age. For our democracy to function effectively, public discourse must prioritize fairness, equality, and accountability for all parties involved. We, as a society, must resist the powerful urge to engage in mob justice; we need to rise to challenge gendered biases; and we must not flag in our efforts to promote gender equity and protect individual rights. Only then can democratic ideals be upheld in the face of controversies like this one.
