Ethiopia trending after Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia post prenup photos

Social media was abuzz on Saturday night after Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia posted their prenuptial photos, shot in various locations around Ethiopia.

 

???? @mymetrophoto

A post shared by Billy Crawford (@billycrawford) on

Mar 9, 2018 at 7:09pm PST

 

Our Ethiopia photos by @mymetrophoto are finally out! Read the story and see the rest of the photos! Link in bio ?? • Makeup (@coleen): @pongniu Grooming (@billycrawford): @aimeegrey Hair (both): @renzpangilinan Styling (both): @adrianneconcept #styledbyadrianne Photos by @mymetrophoto In partnership with @ethiopianairlines.manila

A post shared by Coleen Garcia (@coleen) on

Mar 9, 2018 at 6:22pm PST

 

Coleen and Billy . Shot on location in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Stay tuned for more. . Styling: @adrianneconcept Make-up: @pongniu Hair: @renzpangilinan Grooming: @aimeegrey . Special thanks to @labellefete @ethiopianairlines.manila and @theweddinglibraryph . . #officialphotos #BiCol #metrophotobride #phottixph

A post shared by Metrophoto Official Account (@mymetrophoto) on

Mar 10, 2018 at 5:46am PST

While Ethiopian scenery proved marvelous, photos that featured locals in the backdrop left a bad taste in several netizens’ mouths.

Before deleting the photos in question, Billy, Coleen, and their team mentioned they were shot with full consent of the locals. Still, it didn’t stop the “woke” netizens to discuss, among other things, cultural appropriation.

Ethiopia continued to dominate Twitter trending topics up to Sunday morning. See what they have to say:

I don't see at all why we should admire a prenup photoshoot making background props out of Ethiopian women & children pic.twitter.com/pU78nC1Af8

— ® (@therachelravana) March 10, 2018

I respect on how you see this photo. But upon seeing all their prenup photos, I realized that they're really promoting Ethiopian culture. Actually, you framed them for just showing the photos with the Ethopians.

Not a fan of them tho. I just see this post misleading.

— Karl Forin (@karlforin) March 10, 2018

y is no one talking about coleen garcia and billy crawford’s prenup shoot they literally used Ethiopian locals as ...props? idek if thats the word pero girl bakit ?? ano gusto nila iparating pic.twitter.com/I9Mqv3rG6w

— Maegan Rodriguez (@maegaaan_) March 10, 2018

I see this as an art. Or even promoting Ethiopian natives https://t.co/XhQKtAurHl

— bitch ? (@JamieClairee) March 11, 2018

i love creative and artsy pre-nup shoots but to use Ethiopian people as props & space fillers is very problematic

while you are being culturally insensitive, you're telling the world how privileged you are

you can always have pre-nup shoots without being racist

thanks

???? © pic.twitter.com/kww6Bg7Bzh

— fifironi pizza ???? (@AlfonsoLabrague) March 10, 2018

This is disturbing for a pre-nuptial photoshoot. What is the idea behind this? Appreciating the 'culture' for your union? No way. All that it tells me is that you used the Ethiopian locals as a simple background — as "props". pic.twitter.com/hnOeESsXfs

— Aileen Adalid (@iAmAileen) March 10, 2018

Don't tell me that Billy & Coleen's prenup shoot shows the beauty of Ethiopian people because hello, THEY MADE THESE PEOPLE THEIR FUCKING BACKGROUND. It doesn't take a genius to notice the macros and blurs!

— Claudine Chelsea (@cldnchls) March 10, 2018

wow people are actually defending the pre-nuptial shoot of two filipino celebrities where they used Ethiopian locals as their background. how does it showcase the Ethiopian culture and their beauty when they were obviously blurred out of the photos? Nothing in those photos made +

— bianca (@viastluis) March 10, 2018

Apparently endorsed naman pala ng Ethiopian Airlines yung photoshoot. https://t.co/jSmfG4XBbO… I think you guys are reacting because kayo mismo is inherently looking down at Ethiopians as poor people which for me is a subtle form of discrimination itself.

— MarkGriffin_P (@MarkGriffin_P) March 10, 2018

I have split views on cultural appropriation. I just don't think that it's a good concept to put black kids wearing humble clothes as "props" while Billy and Coleen portray Ethiopian culture dressed in lavishly accessorized native-inspired clothing. pic.twitter.com/LvboZqmlmt

— kath (@kathleendonoso) March 10, 2018

The reason why this is unsettling for people, I think, is because aware tayo na may visual distinction sa pag position ng subjects and props which in this particular situation, ay ang Ethiopian people. To deny na hindi inobjectify yung community nila is to be biased.

— Aloha (@happygoose_) March 10, 2018

I dont get you. How can you say that the couple projected racism? I dont see any wrong in this picture, they didnt even tell the world they are priviledged. The focus was on the couple and they didnt depicted that the ethiopian people was the inferior race

— KB (@kbL06) March 10, 2018

Even if you secured the participants’ consent for the photo shoot, the shoot was poorly executed. There are many other ways to highlight the Ethiopian culture. Nagmukha silang masters-slaves photo shoot

— BLOCKED(PINK) IN YOUR AREA (@kristinamisajon) March 10, 2018

i just got back from a conference when i saw billy and coleen's prenup photos.

they reminded me a lot of this certain controversial magazine cover.

kinda off for me ah --using Ethiopian children as props. pic.twitter.com/LsuYaT6XbH

— Petreyna Macute (@petreynamacute) March 10, 2018

I still don't get why did Billy and Coleen use Ethiopian women/children as props for their shoot. Hindi ba pwedeng kayo na lang? Bakit sila kailangan isama with empty/sad looks on their faces?

— happy new neal ???????? (@kimjongneaaal) March 11, 2018

— LA, GMA News