What is "poverty porn" and why does it exist?

In art and filmmaking, there's the term “poverty porn”—which means an artist is exploiting the poor to gain attention and profit from it. 

Using themes of poverty and destitution to gain more attention and profits is a common strategy. The term "poverty porn" was coined to describe these films. Some Filipino films can demonstrate this concept, as well as the reasons for it and the reactions to it. 

Poverty is a reality in the Philippines, but why is it so closely linked to the country's representation in the film industry? 

The first reason is that these films live up to people's expectations of the Philippines. That is the image that humanitarian workers and journalists have painted over the years. The media focuses on inconceivable examples of extreme poverty and heartbreaking suffering rather than on modest but significant progress. People understand that if they want to explore and immerse themselves in that harsh poor reality for a while, they can look for Filipino films. Their expectations are frequently met. 

According to ecufilmfestival.com research, awareness and sympathy from viewers are insufficient, but the question remains whether it is the responsibility of filmmakers to assist in the resolution of these issues. They show fictional stories for the purpose of telling stories set in a poor environment. It doesn't mean that poverty-related topics can't be exploited and used to gain attention and profits, as "poverty porn" claims.

Homelessness can be an embarrassing aspect of someone's life that they prefer to keep private rather than expose to the entire world. 

The truth is that poverty porn does not shift the focus away from poverty and toward issues that will help. It may provide a quick fix, but it perpetuates stereotypes and obscures the real issues. 

Poverty and homelessness are symptoms of much larger societal issues, such as: 

• a scarcity of affordable housing 

• insufficient healthcare; 

• insufficient access to mental health services; 

• food insecurity 

• Inequality in education 

• the legal system 

• domestic violence 

• fewer job opportunities 

Related: 

'Poverty porn': Donnalyn Bartolome's 'kanto-themed' birthday party draws mixed reactions from netizens

BY AYIE LICSI

Donnalyn Bartolome drew new criticism after throwing a "kanto"-themed birthday party, which netizens saw as romanticizing poverty. 

The influencer celebrated her birthday on July 9 and shared a video of the celebration on August 11. As of this writing, the video had 3.7 million views. 

Meanwhile, others considered the theme problematic for "romanticizing poverty." 

"What’s with Donnalyn Bartolome and her obsession with glamorizing poverty???? I mean if you want to connect with your fans that ain’t the route sis," one user said on Twitter. 

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Another user criticized Bartolome for turning the reality of poverty into an "aesthetic."

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References:

https://philstarlife.com/celebrity/366507-donnalyn-bartolome-kanto-themed-birthday-party-reactions

https://www.ecufilmfestival.com/what-is-poverty-porn-and-what-it-has-to-do-with-the-philippines/ 

https://www.thebautistaprojectinc.org/post/poverty-porn