Jawbreaker is both a print and digital space by and for kick-ass Pinays — and token boy-allies — who have a love/hate relationship with pop culture, both local and international.
It’s a space for those of us who won’t turn our backs on the so-called “fluff” of pop media altogether, but refuse to give in to the brain-sucking, sugar-coated crap that is pandered to us by corporate marketing scum.
Yes, we might have a bit more spending cash these days, but we use it on goodies that we have a passion for. We defy the narrow sterotypes of young Filipinas as insufferable shop-a-holics with a herd mentality, always looking out for the next hot item.
We came-of-age after the small victories of the “Cory years”: better job opportunites for women, more ways to explore our sexualities, wider access to media, etc. We’ve grown up with the “cutesy” aesthetics of Sanrio, the outspokenness of Kris Aquino, and the in-your-face attitude of Madonna, among others. We bring these influcences with us, even now as we fight against the oppressions of this globalized era: the packaging of Filipinas as “exotic” commodities, the psychic chokehold of Western beauty standards, and the backwards-ass moralizing value set that won’t go away, like a nasty pimple that stays on your face long after you’ve squeezed the pus out.
We know enough to critique the fucked-up aspects of the pop media we love so much. But we also take it a step further, claiming the symbols and words for our ourselves, through zines, fan-fics, crafts, DIY projects, even our conversations — the art of everyday life itself.
It’s not easy to produce content that addresses the complex and often messy realities we face, as sassy, educated girls in a “developing” nation. But hey, we love a good challenge!
That’s why Jawbreaker aims to be a forum that’s at once independent, queer-positive, and proudly feminist.
