Bethany Talbot, known for her beauty and fashion content on TikTok and as a UP football player, has addressed concerns about being a privileged student at the University of the Philippines.
@bethany.talbot Replying to @aia 🪐 ♬ original sound – bethany talbot
A user commented in one of her videos that she is a “Burgis na nasa UP,” which she clarified in a two-minute explanation video, which seems to be a personal response on her part to remarks and judgments about her upbringing and suitability for attending a prominent state university.
“I find it quite sad that I’m having to defend myself as to why I deserve to study at UP,” she said.
Bethany asserts that the video defines who she is and shields her reputation from derogatory comments to show her pride in her achievements and her work for her family.
She also clarified concerns about her financial condition and the legitimacy of her admission at UP by highlighting her middle-class background and education at esteemed private institutions.
“I come from a middle-class family, and I’ve been able to study in good private schools up until high school,” she added.
Aside from that, she revealed that she is a working student, emphasizing that her family has faced financial struggles despite her educational opportunities.
Moreover, since she was admitted as an athlete and had to make major sacrifices for her education, she feels compelled to defend herself against these accusations, demonstrating that she has earned her place by hard work and perseverance.
“No student shall be denied admission to the University System by reason of age, sex, nationality, religious belief, or political affiliation,” states the rule on the academic information on the UP Diliman website.
Through that, no discrimination must be made against Bethany, same applied to other middle-class students.
Moreover, social media users supported her explanation, with the majority sympathizing with her.
One user wrote in the same video “any status in life, basta pumasa sa upcat, entitled pumasok sa UP ‘di lang para mahihirap, para sa lahat yan [no matter what status you have in life, as long as you passed UP’s entrance test, you are entitled to study at UP as it is not only for the poor, it’s for everyone.
Her story highlights the larger challenges associated with striking a balance between one’s academic goals and financial constraints as well as the effects of social media on one’s reputation.
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