Daniela Sophia P.

Papa ABELS 1-2 Contemporary World

BONUS ACTIVITY 1

PART I.

1. Zuixua Color Pens - Made in China

2. Monami Sign Pen - Made in Korea
3. Stabilo Swing Cool - Made in Germany
4. Dong-A Mechanical Pencil Lead - Made in Korea
5. SafeWay Plus Hand Sanitizer - Made in the Philippines
6. PC Baby Powder - Made in the Philippines
7. Castor Oil - Made in Russia
8. Hello Glow Face Cream - Made in the Philippines
9. Mungyo Whiteboard Marker - Made in Korea
10. Huawei Wireless Charging Table Lamp - Made in China

How is Economic Globalization related to the fact that you have numerous items
coming from different parts of the world?

Globalization has brought the world closer together by encouraging more international trade,
more open financial institutions, and a greater flow of investment capital across borders.
Countries and businesses are more connected than ever before.

Globalization has peaked in the twenty-first century, along with the creation and advancement
of technology in everyday life, and it has become very evident in every aspect of my life.
Everything from my personal belongings to the way I speak, the shows that I watch, the music
that I listen to, and even the means of communication themselves are all products of
globalization. Companies can offer goods at lower prices to consumers worldwide as
manufacturing costs fall. The average cost of goods is a key aspect that contributes to increases
in the standard of living. Consumers also have access to a wider variety of goods. And these are
the reasons why international products made their way to our houses.

Things that used to be very exclusive in a specific location are now experienced and shared with
people all over the world, and it has generally become a necessity for nations to promote
international trade

Just like any other human concept, globalization has its own flaws and shortcomings. Job
insecurity, price fluctuations, and even prerequisite interdependence with other nations are just
some of the challenges that come with it. However, these issues have existed for centuries,
long before the term "economic globalization" was popularized. Globalization is not perfect in
every way, but it is necessary not only for our modern world to function, but also for each
individual to strive.

PART II.
The Philippines under the Duterte administration decided to revoke its membership of
the Philippines to the International Criminal Court. Discuss the advantages and or
disadvantages/implications of such a decision.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first permanent, treaty-based international
criminal court established to help end impunity for perpetrators of the world's most serious
crimes. And the Philippines had been a member of the ICC since 2011. However, on 19th of
March 2018, President Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which took
effect a year later, 19th of March 2019.

The ICC's intervention in the Duterte administration was a result of years of extrajudicial killing
since his election on 30th of June 2016. According to Human Rights Watch (2020), the Duterte
administration has waged a "war on drugs," resulting in the shocking deaths of over 12,000
Filipinos, the vast majority of whom are urban poor. The Philippine National Police have been
blamed for at least 2,555 of the murders.

The Philippines is the second country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court's
jurisdiction. Burundi, which left in 2017, was the first country to detach from the authority of
the ICC after accusing it of deliberately targeting Africans for prosecution 1

Firstly, we have to understand what negative effects it may have on our country, even in our
judicial system. According to Duerr (2018), when a country withdraws from the Rome Statute,
the ICC loses jurisdiction over that country. The prosecutor may only initiate a preliminary
examination or an investigation into crimes committed by nationals or on the territory of state
parties. Countries that are not members of the ICC are not subject to its jurisdiction unless the
UN Security Council specifically refers the situation to the court.

This put Philippine justice in critical shape, as there would be no one to persecute the highest
officials of the country at the same time that its Supreme Court failed to serve justice as well.
The Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC is a major setback in the fight for accountability for the
most serious crimes, the inalienability of basic human rights, and justice for victims. And this is
the cost that ordinary citizens must bear in exchange for the power that higher officials sought
through force. In their Supreme Court motion, the rights activists said that withdrawing from
the court would deprive Filipinos of "effective remedies" against genocide and other crimes
against humanity. No one benefits from the withdrawal, but future perpetrators of the most
heinous crimes of international concern. Romel Bagares, a lawyer for a coalition of rights
activists, said Mr. Duterte’s withdrawal from the court could have lasting consequences for
human rights protections in the Philippines (Gutierrez, 2019).

Turning the table 180 degrees, there are political figures who believe that the Philippines’
withdrawal will not affect our judicial system in any way. Sotto stated in a 2019 interview that
the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC has had no negative impact, asking, "Was there any
instance where the Philippines benefited from (its membership in the ICC)? None. As a matter
of fact, it has even caused us harm, as far as the media is concerned." 2

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said membership in or withdrawal from the ICC does not
have any effect on the Philippines’ justice system. The ICC has its own rules. But whatever it
does, it doesn’t affect us. 3

Even other nations as big as the United States expressed opposition to the ICC. According to
Ochab (2020), the USA opposes investigations under the ICC and even announced that the US
would impose sanctions on senior officials in the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the ICC
authorizes the Prosecutor to commence an investigation into alleged crimes perpetrated in the

1 Burundi withdrew from the Rome Statute 27 October 2017. The government of Burundi is accused of committing
crimes against humanity, including execution and torture. https://www.icc-cpi.int/burundi
2 Cervantes Sotto sees no negative effect of ph withdrawal from ICC.
3 Balinbin , A. L., & Villegas, V. M. M. (2019, March 17). Guevarra: ICC withdrawal no effect on justice system.
territory of Afghanistan since May 1, 2003, as well as other alleged crimes associated with the
armed conflict in Afghanistan.

Ironically, despite not recognizing the legitimacy of the court, the United States agreed to
support the war crimes investigation being conducted against Putin and his inner circle at The
Hague (ICC). Although it participated in the negotiations for that agreement, the United States
ultimately chose not to formally join the ICC. This issue was answered by John Bellinger III, a
former legal adviser for the National Security Council, in an interview last April of this year.
According to him, the real answer to these questions is that the U.S. has been concerned from
the very beginning that the prosecutor for the court would be given too much power unchecked,
and he or she could conduct politically motivated prosecutions of U.S. soldiers. 4

Strikingly, this exemplifies that Duterte is not the only one who expresses disappointment in the
Court. The ICC is frequently chastised for being inefficient, overly expensive, and ineffective. In
18 years of work, it has only obtained a few convictions. 5 Nonetheless, the ICC faces some
issues that are frequently overlooked, and based on the US’ sentiments, despite its
commitments, the ICC has flaws and may be incapable of handling such serious cases, let alone
convicting a country's highest-ranking official.

Furthermore, Wong (2019) stated in a study that the ICC itself lacks the institutional resources
to ensure that defendants actually appear in Court because it lacks its own police force and no
consistently effective means to compel States to cooperate. The ICC's request to arrest and
surrender Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for committing crimes is an instructive example
of this. The arrest warrant, which was issued in 2009, was ignored by 19 countries, nine of
which are signatories to the Rome Statute.

However, this does not imply that not joining the ICC is better than acknowledging its authority.
ICC jurisdiction may be a last resort for many nations; if even our own supreme court fails to
convict and punish the person who committed grave crimes against humanity, we will be of
great help in no time. If a leader cares about his people's rights and justice, he will have no
problem accepting the jurisdiction of a court that promotes justice, peace, and security for
every nation.

Despite this, the Philippines is still legally bound by the same obligations as before the
withdrawal, as the ICC confirmed in its decision regarding the situation in Burundi—the only
other state to withdraw from the Rome Statute—that the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction even
after the date a withdrawal takes effect, provided that the investigation or prosecution relates
to crimes allegedly committed while a state was a party to the Rome Statute. 6

We can only hope for the Philippines to join again in the ICC only after the Marcos
administration, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated on August 1, 2022, that the Philippines
has "no intention" of rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) and allowing it to proceed
with an investigation in the country. 7

PART III.

READING: DESERT FLOWER

4 NPR. (2022, April 16). The U.S. does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
5 According to the ICC website, the ICC judges have issued 10 convictions and 4 acquittals as of now. About the Court.
Facts and Figures. https://www.icc-cpi.int/about/the-courts
6 Parliamentarians express profound regret over the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court. https://www.pgaction.org/news/philippines-withdrawal-rome-statute-icc.html
7 Strangio, S. The Philippines will not rejoin the International Criminal Court, Marcos says. – The Diplomat.
If you will be given a choice of perspective (between ethnocentrism and cultural
relativism) in looking at Female Genital Mutilation / Infibulation, what perspective
will you select? Why?

FGM is deemed by many as a form of religious purity. This practice is very common in African
countries, as evident from Waris Idrie's experience. This issue has recently received attention as
mutilation, despite the fact that it was previously and continues to be regarded by some as
"female circumcision." An uncircumcised woman may be viewed by peers and potential spouses
as less of a woman, unclean, and disloyal to her culture. 8

While I do not consider my own culture and traditions superior to others, I still find it difficult to
support the idea of cultural relativism and even ethnocentrism in the discussion of FGM. I want
to find a reasonable ground to argue against FGM while understanding the norms and traditions
of this cultural practice. I think the best way to look at FGM is to see it as a human-to-human
violation, not as a difference in race-based cultural practice. Whether or not I believe in
respecting this tradition is clearly irrelevant. What is more important are the women's
experiences that are involved in this type of ritual. 

According to Ross (2009), cultural relativism allows each culture to practice what is native and
relevant to that society without the imperialist imposition of another culture's beliefs and/or
norms. Cultural relativists argue that moral principles are not always conspicuous or widely
accepted; they advocate "the need for tolerance and respect of all cultures," which means that
FGM is justified in this ideology, while opposing it may be perceived as disrespecting their
culture. The extreme of this perspective—cultural relativism—holds that all cultures and their
practices are equally valid and that it is improper to pass judgment on another culture. 

Respect for a culture's traditions and practices should be at the forefront of the Cultural
Relativist debate. The notion that no culture is superior to another is relevant when an external
nation with opposing views, values, and traditions seeks to assert or impose its values on
another. But what if health risks are already present? Would we still say that FGM is valid? The
health-related concerns that are consequently involved with FGM make it a violation of health

According to Danial (n.d.), FGM is in direct violation of three fundamental universal human
rights under the UNDHR: Article 25 s.1: the right to health; Article 3: the right to life, liberty,
and the security of personhood; and Article 26 s.1: the right to an adequate education that
includes proper knowledge of the cultural practice. 

My major health concern is that those who perform the ritual are not always medical
professionals. Unsterile blades and tools are used to sew the vaginal lips together, leaving a tiny
hole for urine and menstrual flow and disrupting the natural genital state. As a result, the
practice causes numerous health complications, elevating it to the level of a human rights
violation.

The other main issue regarding FGM is the lack of knowledge concerning negative health effects
on practicing it. UNICEF conducted a study regarding the social conditions surrounding rituals
and practices and stated, "Where FGM is a social convention, the social pressure to conform to
that society's value system is a strong motivation to perpetuate the practice." It has become so
normative to people living within these societies, an act so highly recognized and praised by the
community's elders, that young women and girls are happy to be a part of the cultural ritual as
it will bring them respect and acceptance from their loved ones, peers, and elders. FGM is seen
as a "necessary part of properly raising a girl, and a way to prepare her for adulthood and
marriage." Rejecting the practice lowers the likelihood of a girl marrying in the future and brings
shame to the young girl." 9

8 Hosken FP The Hosken Report: Genital and Sexual Mutilation of Females. 4th ed. Lexington, Mass Women's
International Network News1993
9 Sandra Danial. Cultural Relativism vs. Universalism: Female Genital Mutilation, Pragmatic Remedies. Cultural
Relativists on FGM. pg 4
Though one woman may be more than willing to participate in this practice for the sake of
acceptance, she will only do so because it has already become the norm, ignoring its adversity
due to a lack of scientific knowledge and because she only knows the positive side of it. 

Cultural relativists believe that rather than condoning practices or rituals that may violate
human rights, respect should be at the forefront of the debate. CRs do not deny that FGM is
harmful; rather, they take a neutral stance in the debate. According to this idea, those working
to eradicate FGM must recognize the risk of alienation faced by women and girls who choose to
reject the tradition due to imperialist imposition. This gives the impression that respect and
acceptance of one culture within a society are far more important than the harmful effects of
these specific traditions.

Meanwhile, there are other theories that discuss FGM and acknowledge its harmful effects.
Universal feminists recognize the dangerous health-related concerns of FGM and see it as a
violation of a woman’s right to health. This is an issue that affects so many women, and as
universal feminists note, it is their duty to fight for the rights of women on a global scale
because women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are universal.10 

A tradition is morally wrong when a person is forced to do or be a part of something against

his/her will due to peer pressure, societal norms, and the need to be accepted by others.
Clearly, Waris Idrie was one of the million women who have been opposinging FGM, yet to their
family and society, where they belong, these opinions don't and won't ever matter. 

I am highly appaled to the idea of forcing FGM on any woman, not because I believe that other
cultures that do not practice FGM are superior or because I prefer to see it from an ethnocentric
perspective, but rather because I don't support any kind of act that takes away other people's
free will, or a norm that is atrociously engraved or forced on people in return for acceptance
and respect. Simply put, FGM is illogical—as most traditions are—but if one is to harm for the
sake of culture and tradition, then that's where violation of human law takes place.

Yet no matter how dangerous and risky this practice is, abolition may not be the best solution
for it as I see it. Yes, the practice is indeed harmful, and a violation of one’s right to health
among others, but unless one can offer pragmatic, reasonable remedies for the practice,
condemnation of the act is inadvertently just reinforcing the idea that we are just as well forcing
another culture to be the right culture and superior. The ever more proposed solution or FGM
is for it to conform to the moral values and norms of the “majority culture”. However, it
rather further asserts the western imperialist position of arrogance, that the values, norms,
and traditions of the west are superior to those of “minority” cultures.

Simply condemning the act and pushing for abolition would be as well a violation of Article
18: Freedom of Religion or Belief, as well as Article 22: Right to Social Security of the
UNDHR, and Article 27, which notes the free participation in the cultural life of a community.
11

Baer and Brysk (2009) found that the infringement of the right to health is the strongest
argument presented against FGM and argue that it is a new rights issue in itself. The right
to health is reasonable grounds to oppose the cultural act of FGM. Danial (n.d.) proposes
education as a primary means of eradication. Not by deeming their practices as immoral, or
lacking in efficient grounds, but in understanding the ritual and more importantly, those

10 Afkhami, 76.
11 Article 18: Freedom of Religion or Belief; says we all have the right to our own beliefs, to have a religion, have no
religion, or to change it. Article 22: Right to Social Security; include the right to work, an adequate standard of living,
education, maternity and childhood, social security, and the right to take part in cultural life.
who practice it as moral agents and human beings equal in dignity, in adequacy, and in
rights. 12

Both cultural relativism and ethnocentrism are flawed in this argument. And I despise the idea
of limiting your opinion and stance to a formulated ideology, then deciding where your opinion
fits best among these options. These two ideas have their own rationality, but if we caged our
knowledge within these two, we would only end up contradicting ourselves. In the end, I would
say that FGM is a practice that has harmful effects on one's health but also brings acceptance,
respect, and boosts the morale of a family's dignity in particular societies.

No matter how much I want this practice to end, if there are women still willing to do it for the
sake of acceptance without understanding the harmful long-term effects, it will only continue
into future generations. Protesting against it is not enough, let alone persecuting people who do
this. The best way to eradicate this is to educate people about the bad effects that go with
practicing it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
I. EG

National Geographic Society. (2022, June 2). Effects of economic globalization. National
Geographic Society. Retrieved from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/effects-
economic-globalization/

12 Sandra Danial. Potential Remedies. 19

 II. ICC
Balinbin , A. L., & Villegas, V. M. M. (2019, March 17). Guevarra: ICC withdrawal no effect
on justice system. BusinessWorld Online. Retrieved from
https://www.bworldonline.com/editors-picks/2019/03/17/220041/guevarra-icc-withdrawal-no-
effect-on-justice-system/

Conde, C. H. (2017, March 2). Philippines' 'war on drugs'. Philippines' 'War on Drugs' | Human
Rights Watch. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/tag/philippines-war-drugs

Cervantes, F. M. (2019, April 18). Sotto sees no negative effect of ph withdrawal from ICC.
Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1064898

Duerr, B., Zouev, A., Duthie, E. P. and R., William D. Stanley and Charles T. Call, &
Labuda, P. (2018, May 3). Facing withdrawals, ICC must now rely on Greater Security Council
action. IPI Global Observatory. Retrieved from
https://theglobalobservatory.org/2018/05/withdrawals-icc-must-rely-security-council/

Gutierrez, J. (2019, March 17). Philippines officially leaves the International Criminal Court. The
New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/17/world/asia/philippines-
international-criminal-court.html

Kiger, P. J. (2022, June 9). Why the U.S. hasn't always supported the International Criminal
Court. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved from https://people.howstuffworks.com/us-stance-on-
international-criminal-court-news.htm

NPR. (2022, April 16). The U.S. does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal
Court. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2022/04/16/

Oberhäuser, N. (2019, March 18). Philippines withdrawal does not protect Duterte from ICC –
DW – 03/18/2019. dw.com. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/philippines-withdrawal-
does-not-protect-rodrigo-duterte-from-icc/

Ochab, D. E. U. (2020, September 13). As the International Criminal Court faces more
challenges, we need it more than ever. Forbes. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2020/09/13/

Roth, K. (2021, January 13). World Report 2021: Rights trends in Philippines. Human Rights
Watch. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines

Sterling, T. S., & Deutsch, A. (2022, March 4). ICC Faces "Myriad Challenges" to prosecute
war crimes in Ukraine. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/icc-faces-
myriad-challenges-prosecute-war-crimes-ukraine/

Strangio, S. (2022, August 2). Philippines will not rejoin International Criminal Court, Marcos
says. – The Diplomat. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2022/08/philippines-will-not-
rejoin-international-criminal-court-marcos-says/

Tridgell, J. (2018, September 27). The departed: Implications of the Philippines' withdrawal
from the ICC. Opinio Juris. Retrieved from http://opiniojuris.org/2018/04/12/the-departed-
implications-of-the-philippines-withdrawal-from-the-icc/

Wong, F. (2019, September). Criticisms and shortcomings of the ICC. Access Accountability.
Retrieved from https://accessaccountability.org/index.php/2019/09/26/criticisms-and-
shortcomings-of-the-icc/

https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/record.aspx?docNo=ICC-01/17-9-Red

III. FGM
Afkhami, M. (2001, September 1). Gender apartheid, cultural relativism, and women's
human rights in Muslim societies. Mahnaz Afkhami. Retrieved from
http://mahnazafkhami.com/gender-apartheid-cultural-relativism-and-womens-human-
rights-in-muslim-societies/

Ali, Nancy, Mohamud, Asha, and Reymond, Laura. "PATH : Female Genital Mutilation – The
Facts." PATH: A Catalyst for Global Health. 1998. http://www.path.org/files/FGM-The-
Facts.htm.

Baer, M., & Brysk, A. (2009). New Rights for Private Wrongs: Female Genital
Mutilation and Global Dialouges. The International Struggle for New Human Rights.

Castledine, J. “Female Genital Mutilation: An Issue of Cultural Relativism or Human Rights?”

Mount Holyoke College.

Danial, S. (n.d.). Cultural relativism vs. universalism: Female genital mutilation, pragmatic
remedies. Prandium: The Journal of Historical Studies at U of T Mississauga. Retrieved from
http://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/prandium/article/view/19692

Hussien, Leyla, Ali, Nimco. and Abdi, Sainab. “Stopping FGM.” Daughters of Eve.org,
http://www.dofeve.org/stopping-fgm.html.

Mary Pat Treuthart, Ross, Women's Human Rights: The International and Comparative Law
Casebook, 29 Pace L. Rev. 391 (2009) Retrieved from
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/plr/vol29/iss2/8

United Nations. (n.d.). Universal declaration of human rights. United Nations. Retrieved
from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/.

World Health Organization. (2013, May 22). Fact Sheet: Female Genital Mutilation. World
Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets

BONUS ACTIVITY 2

PART I.

Social media star Oli London has caused controversy around the world, after claiming
to have transitioned race. The British-born influencer, who came out as non-binary,
said they had undergone what Oli described as “racial transition surgery” because
they “identify as Korean”. COMMENT on this. You may use our lectures on Cultural
Globalization and/or external
I've known Oli London as the person who declared himself to be married to BTS's Jimin while
also calling himself Jimin, which makes no sense. Before we go any further, one thing is clear:
Oli is more than obsessed to K-Culture. From their cheesy music about Korea, their facial
reconstruction to resemble Asian features, to doing creepy things to a cardboard Jimin. But the
most absurd of all was their announcement of their genital reduction to match the common size
of Korean male genitalia. These are just some of the atrocities done by Oli London in the name
of their pretentious appreciation of Korean culture.

Diving deeper to transraciallism, most articles that I see regarding this topic use
transgenderism as a comparative case to discuss transracialism. They argued that while gender
is now accepted as a social construction, it is the same thing as race. Thus, transracialism is
valid and philosophically acceptable for some.

Tuvel (2017) claims that in a successful (gender) identity transformation, one has a self-
proclaimed identity coupled with society’s recognition of that identity "by granting her
membership in the desired group." Given that both race and gender are often considered mere
social constructs, Tuvel claims that arguments in favor of transgenderism should extend to
transracialism. Her argument is that as long as someone "genuinely feels like or identifies" as a
member of a race other than the one assigned to them at birth—so strongly that they seek a
transition to the other race—we should accept their decision to change races.

However, according to Collins' 1990 book "Black Feminist Thought," he states that one could
not simply feel as though they belong in a specific racial group without first sharing the group's
view of material reality, "It seems impossible to share the same view of reality as that of the
black community without being a part of the community; one cannot understand what it is like
to be oppressed without actually experiencing oppression."

This liberal concept basically tells us that transitioning from race to race is easier because
apparently it is a social construct. This provoked a question in me as to why someone would
want to change races. Perhaps because they believe and perceive their own race to be inferior
to others, or it is just a reflection of their inner obsession and insecurities. We don't know. What
we do know is that they feel "happier" to belong in another race, to the point of denouncing
their own. 

Another infamous figure with the same sentiments as Oli London is Rachel Dolezal, a self-
proclaimed transracial who tells people, "I wish people could see me for who I am, not what I
am." Yet this basically sums up how people wish she could see herself.

It's also strange to hear her talk about racism and acceptance after she literally rejected her
own parents because of their race. It's ironic that they can appreciate other races but not their
own.

Racial diversity does not imply that someone can just decide to change their appearance simply
to be a part of a group whose experiences, community, and struggles they do not fully
comprehend. Their argument is like saying that I can identify myself as a dog because I love
and feel happy when I'm with my dogs, which is more than absurd.

Another instance of Oli London's hypocrisy and ignorance is very evident in their music video,
"Heart of Korea." in which they were seen wearing a kimono- a traditional Japanese garment-
with jeans. They were also holding a traditional Chinese paper umbrella, and the song was
sampled from Forbidden Colors by Ryuichi Sakamoto, a Japanese artist, all the while calling the
song Heart of Korea.

There is also much more to one's racial identity than physical appearance; it is also about
culture, community, connection, and even trauma. To believe that someone can pick and
choose which aspects of a race or culture they like and then distance themselves from that
culture when it suits them is racist. They avoid the burden of discrimination while reaping the
benefits of white privilege.
Although these actions are disturbing, I believe it is also important for us to understand the
reason behind all these, and where they are coming from.

According to Oli London's statement last August of 2022, he made a public apology about his
actions, saying that they are currently undergoing therapy and mental health help to try and
become a better person and to try to deal with my multiple personality disorder, overly
obsessive behavior, and their addiction to plastic surgery.

"I used to be scared of looking in the mirror and would try to make myself physically sick so I
wouldn't have to go to school." They continued: "At age 23, I moved to Korea and lived there
for 1 year, and this changed me completely as a person forever... "I found solace and happiness
in K-pop and Korean culture; it provided an escape from reality, and I focused all of my
attention and love on someone I admired and idolized, Park Jimin." 

In an earlier youtube interview of Oli London, they reiterated their stand that transracialism is
indeed possible and that people need to acknowledge that, as no one can take that hapiness
away from them.

It seems to me that all of these pretentious and offensive stunts are all motivated by pleasure
and satisfaction than by rationality. Oli and Rachel do not do these things because they
appreciate a certain race and that they value its people, rather because of the benefits and
emotional satisfaction that they receive from doing them. Yet, the happiness and pleasure they
experience are far outweighed by their disturbing and unhealthy behaviors. It is extremely
damaging, not only for them but also for the actual members of the race with which they are
obsessed with. After all, these are just the results of their own obsessions and insecurities that
reflect on their actions and grew out of control over time.

One thing is certain to me: transracialism is more about cultural appropriation than it is about
appreciation. To some extent, admiration for other culture is fine and sometimes even
heartwarming, but you can't appreciate other things if you can't even accept your own self. You
can't pick and choose what you like about another culture and claim it as your own while
rejecting the adversities and burden of discrimination that come with that race. Everything has
limitations, and this is the lesson that keeps resurfacing from Oli's issues. We can only hope
that they get the help they need and get better in the future.

PART II.

Explain how the current Covid-19 pandemic affects our environment.

The global outbreak, COVID-19, had an enormous impact in all aspects of human life, including
the physical world. The measures taken to control the virus's spread and the slowing of
economic activity have serious environmental consequences. Environmental changes have had
both positive and negative consequences.

According to Rume and Islam (2020), the pandemic situation significantly improves air quality
in various cities around the world. As industries, transportation and companies have closed
down, it has brought a sudden drop of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. It also reduces
water and noise pollution as most of the population stayed in their houses for a very long period
of time.

The pandemic has also relieved pressure on tourist destinations, which may aid in the
restoration of the ecological system. It is estimated that the tourism industry is responsible for
8% of global GHGs emission (Lenzen et al., 2018). Nature gets a time to assimilate human
annoyance, and due to pollution reduction recently returning of dolphins was reported in the
coast of Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh) and canals, waterways, and ports of Venice (Italy) after a
long decade (Rahman, 2020; Kundu, 2020).

In brief, the positive effects have been reduced GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, improved
water quality, reduced noise pollution, improved air quality and in some cases, wildlife
restoration.

However, there are also negative effects that has been contributed by the said pandemic.
Increase of medical waste, haphazard use and disposal of disinfectants, mask, and gloves,
reduced recycling efforts; and burden of untreated wastes continuously endangering the
environment.

More than eight million tons of pandemic-associated plastic waste have been generated
globally, with more than 25,000 tons entering the global ocean. Most of the plastic is from
medical waste generated by hospitals that dwarfs the contribution from personal protection
equipment and online-shopping package material. This poses a long-lasting problem for the
ocean environment and is mainly accumulated on beaches and coastal sediments (Peng et al.,
2021)

The pandemic is affecting human life and the global economy, which in turn is affecting the
environment and climate. It reminds us of how we have ignored environmental factors while
enforcing human-caused climate change. Furthermore, the global response to COVID-19
teaches us to collaborate in order to combat the threat to humanity. Though the environmental
effects of COVID-19 are short-term, a concerted and time-bound effort can strengthen
environmental sustainability and save the planet from the effects of global climate change.

There have been numerous additional direct and indirect consequences of the COVID-19
pandemic, many of which will be realized in the coming months and years, but what is clear
even in the short term is the urgency.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. TRANSRACIALISM

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Collins, P. H. (1991). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of
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Tuvel, R. (2017). In Defense of Transracialism. Hypatia, 32(2), 263–278.

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Kim, Y. E. (2022, August 29). Oli London publicly apologizes for obsessive behavior over BTS'
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Kim, Y. E. (2022, February 4). "transracial" influencer reveals plans for penis reduction to
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II. COVID 19

BDO Global. (2021, January 6). How does covid-19 impact the environment? BDO. Retrieved
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Kundu, C. (2020, March 22). Fact check: Has the COVID-19 lockdown returned dolphins and
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