SINGAPORE: A Philippines edition of Britain's men's magazine FHM on Tuesday was scrapped over a planned cover that locals believed was racist. The move will see the issue not going to press. The cover featured a fair-skinned Filipino actress, Bela Padilla, in a pink swimsuit surrounded by dark-skinned models in black swimsuits, with the tagline “stepping out of the shadows.” FHM Philippines said it had been swamped with angry comments about the cover since it was posted on the publication's Facebook page on the weekend. “We take all the points into consideration and have decided to take the side of sensitivity,” the publishers said. “When FHM hits the stands in March, it will have a different cover.” “We apologize and thank those who have raised their points,” it added. FHM Philippines has already pulled the preview of the March issue on Facebook, where followers hailed its prompt action on the criticism. In Southeast Asia, especially historically, fairer skinned women were seen as more beautiful, and many believe the magazine was playing into the stereotypes, even if unwillingly. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/HJ4FW Tags: Cover, featured, FHM, Philippines, Racism Section: East Asia, Entertainment, Latest News, Media
