• @frickineh@lemmy.world
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      191 year ago

      I’ve never heard this and my friend group consists of a lot of single, middle aged women, but assuming it’s true, I’m gonna assume those women are at least sleeping with adults, which cannot be said for every man going to those two countries.

      • BlanketsWithSmallpox
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        391 year ago

        I’m gonna assume those women are at least sleeping with adults, which cannot be said for…

        Boy do I got some news for you…

        • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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          161 year ago

          Uh, is there some rampant Italian pedophile tourism I’ve never heard of? Because people keep implying it but I’d love more info without having to sift through what would undoubtedly be about a billion articles about the Catholic church.

            • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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              41 year ago

              Am I taking crazy pills right now? I’m literally asking for some kind of evidence and no one will provide it. I have tried finding it and everything that comes back is about women who are victims of sex tourism, not perpetrators. I’m not asking for evidence because I don’t believe it, I’m asking because I can’t find any.

                • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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                  11 year ago

                  While the vast majority of offenders are male, evidence gathered for the Global Study confirms that women account for a small proportion of SECTT offenders. Some female perpetrators label their crime as a search for ‘romance’, but as the Europe report points out the end result is the same, with the richer traveller or tourist exploiting the poorer, local child. Generally speaking, women appear to target mostly men aged over 18 years. However, cases of underage boys having sex with European female offenders, often for some form of remuneration, have been identified in different regions and countries. For example, a study on prostitution of children and its links to tourism in Venezuela found that foreign women travel to the country looking for ‘love’ with teenage boys and young men.

                  Reading through the second source pretty much backs up my initial statement that women going to Italy to hook up are nearly all looking for adults. The only breakdown of offender gender I could find said 93.3% men, 3ish% women, and the remainder unidentified. It also says Eastern Europe is much more likely to be a destination of choice for predators.

                  The second source, which admittedly had to be run through Google translate, is about Italians traveling abroad for sex tourism, not people going to Italy. There’s no source listed for the claim that 10% of sex tourists are women that I could see. They do reference the org that created the second source, but I didn’t see 10% anywhere.

                  I’m not dismissing sex tourism as a problem or saying women who contribute aren’t monsters, but the evidence (and your sources) say men make up the vast majority of traveling predators and are far more likely to be seeking out children when they’re going to known hot spots for that kind of thing than women going to western Europe.

  • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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    891 year ago

    I work in a passport office, and any time a guy comes in alone to apply and says he’s going to the Philippines, without exception, he’s exactly what you’d picture. Some have been pretty upfront about getting married while they’re there (one guy showed me a picture and said, “look what I’m marrying,” and I’m really proud for not screaming at his phrasing) and some try to keep it stealthy, but it’s pretty obvious. We’re not sending our best is all I can say.

    • @cerulean_blue@lemmy.ml
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      51 year ago

      Don’t know why everyone is so triggered on this thread. It’s a joke meme, sure. No, it doesn’t mean EVERYONE visiting is after a Thai bride, but come on… There is quite a bit of truth behind this too… Last time I was in Thailand, there were a lot of old white guys with girls on their 20s that would raise eyebrows in the US.

      • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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        21 year ago

        I literally don’t know. I don’t think anyone in the entire thread said that every person who goes to these places is going for sex tourism, just a particular type (which is just a straight up fact) but some people are acting like we stood in front of their houses calling them sex offenders.

    • @crazyCat@sh.itjust.works
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      -21 year ago

      What do you mean by “passport office”? People would be going to you for visas, not passports, presumably. Also, many western countries don’t need visas to the Philippines right?

      • @RaoulDook@lemmy.world
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        81 year ago

        IDK but around here the “passport office” is just the US Post Office where you can apply for a passport. And you do not have to specify what country you’re traveling to if you apply for a passport in the USA. That’s part of booking your travel plans, not applying for a passport.

      • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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        41 year ago

        Uh, no. People have to apply for passports in person in many cases. I work in an office that accepts those applications.

        • @afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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          -131 year ago

          Sure bro totally a real place. I am out of the country for work or tourism multiple times a year and never once heard of a passport office.

          • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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            61 year ago

            This is the single dumbest comment I’ve seen this week. Congrats! I think you need to walk away from this thread because you’re taking it suuuuper personally when no one was talking about you. It can’t possibly be good for your mental health to be this riled up over a meme. https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

            • @afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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              -131 year ago

              It just occured to me, is “passport office” code for person stocking the shelves at a Hudson in the airport after TSA? Did a water bottle spill on you and you got the superpowers of mind reading?

              • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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                21 year ago

                Are you legitimately illiterate? “Passport office” is another version of “passport acceptance facility,” and there are literally thousands of them, which you’d know if you looked at the Department of State link I provided. I don’t even know why I’m responding at this point. You’ve been hyper aggressive to basically everyone in this thread for no real reason.

    • @afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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      -121 year ago

      Given your ability to determine 100% what a person is thinking your skills are clearly wasted at the passport office, whatever that supposedly is.

      • @frickineh@lemmy.world
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        71 year ago

        I don’t know why you’re acting like I personally insulted you, unless you’re the type of old man going to the Philippines to find a wife who only wants you for the green card. If you are, then yeah, be insulted about it, and think about your life choices.

          • ggppjj
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            61 year ago

            There are ways of calling people out for profiling that do not include being an asshole.

            • @afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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              -121 year ago

              Had to make sure they heard me at the “passport office”. I imagine it is quite loud with the unicorns and Easter bunnies farting rainbows all the time.

  • @Got_Bent@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I went to both countries in my twenties and thoroughly enjoyed both. Beyond some overly strong beer in the Philippines and maybe a joint or two in the rural parts of Thailand, I didn’t engage in any of the stereotypical behavior, though I definitely saw it.

    I guess now that I’m in my fifties, I’m not allowed to go back because it would be a matter of course that I’d pick up some teen bride, right?

    But seriously, both countries are so, so beautiful. I’ve got less than zero desire to ever go to Hawaii after island hopping in the Philippines. As to Thailand, it’s just so calm. Like you’re not even capable of being stressed there. (Unless of course, you’re smuggling drugs around and find yourself on the business end of a prison cell door. Then yer fucked)

    • @SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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      171 year ago

      Yeah a lot of the stereotypes come from people that spend their entire vacation in the red light district. Interesting that places in Europe that also have red light districts don’t get the same reputation. Wonder why that is…

      • Coming from Philippines, there are plenty of gold diggers who see foreigners–especially white people-- as easy cash machine. And lonely white Westerners come to lap up the attention, whether or not they realise they are being sought after for money.

        Then on the much darker side, foreigners exploit the extreme poverty that locals suffer to exploit trafficked individuals–many of whom are minor pimped by their own family.

        • @SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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          11 year ago

          I mean it’s prostitution, it happens everywhere. Really bothers me that sex tourists that spend all their time in red light districts dominate the view on entire countries.

          Really it says more about the people that go there and do that than these countries. And it says something about our culture that we just go along with narratives that the sex tourists are laying down.

      • @Obi@sopuli.xyz
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        121 year ago

        Amsterdam has a similar reputation in the sense (some) tourists come for the red light District and the parties, but it’s decidedly missing the “come take advantage of third world women just looking for a way out with any western man” and even less so the pedo side.

      • The Menemen!
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        111 year ago

        Some parts of Europe do get that reputation. More eastern Europe (single German men travelling to the Czech Republic will have to run the gauntlet when comming back). So yeah, doesn’t invalidate your argument.

      • White people made the stereotypes so they made sure it didn’t apply to their country.

        So freaken absurd. It is like thinking the entire US is Las Vegas.

    • @Vodica@lemmy.world
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      -101 year ago

      Strong beer? You must be American. Months Payton said:

      • Drinking American beer and making love in Canoe us the same.
      • How so?
      • Fucking close to water.
      • @zod000@lemmy.ml
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        61 year ago

        I regularly drink American beer than is in the 9%-10% range, please don’t lump us all into the crap beer drinkers.

        • @nomous@lemmy.world
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          61 year ago

          All the jokes about water beer are from before the craft beer scene blew up in the U.S. Give me a selection of craft beers and I’ll put them against any beer in the world.

  • @Olhonestjim@lemmy.world
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    391 year ago

    Man, I just wanna live in a hut for a year by a beach in an island fishing village that Instagram never found. No crowds please, thank you. I want to pay $5 for big bowl of fish, rice, and tropical fruit. I want to snorkel on a coral reef all day, then smoke a bowl and watch the stars all night. I won’t even be a lazy slouch. I’ll lend a hand to anybody in town with almost anything. And yes, I know these places are long gone now.

    Creeping on girls has nothing to do with it.

  • @Jeze3D@midwest.social
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    391 year ago

    My ex said if we ever broke up he’d be moving to Thailand. Lmao he was a walking middle aged white bro stereotype.

  • DreamButt
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    291 year ago

    Having been to the Philippines can confirm. It’s crazy how many old white dudes just hang out in the sleaziest bars on the sketchiest streets

    • @m0darn@lemmy.ca
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      311 year ago

      I have a colleague that has a wife from the Philippines. They live in Canada but are building a house there. He said I should come visit, and I replied something about how my wife would love a tropical vacation. He replied:

      Bringing your wife on vacation to the Philippines is like bringing a lunchbag to a restaurant.

      … … … cool.

      • DreamButt
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        71 year ago

        Ya basically. I was with my partner and her family, some of which was from PI. Couple of her cousins who were teenagers at the time walked down the wrong street and got offered a “job” by one of the locals. Thankfully their uncle/dad was able to catch up to them and pull them out of the situation. We later saw call girls working that same street who looked even younger than the cousins

  • gorkur
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    281 year ago

    I kinda want to go to Thailand to check out the chopper/custom bike scene there as I’ve both heard good things and seen some nice builds on IG and such.

    I also work with a couple of ladies from the Philippines who say I’d love going on a road trip there so I am pretty curious.

    This stereotype does give me pause though as 50 keeps creeping up and I really don’t want to be labeled as a perv simply for liking motorcycles 🫤

    • topperharlie
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      191 year ago

      never take the internet as a reference, I went to Thailand last year and did not see anything weird.

      internet reality is not real life reality.

      if narrow minded people judge you for something you didn’t do just because of some generalised idea, then maybe is better not to be friends with those people. I’ve travelled alone and not alone to many places, and none of my friends ever thought ill of me.

      Whatever the internet kids think I really don’t give a shit, as you shouldn’t either.

      Man, I really hate gatekeeping.

        • @nomous@lemmy.world
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          31 year ago

          “Sharing wisdom” is something everyone online always thinks they’re doing but they’re really just “judging” and “talking out of their ass.”

      • @Synnr@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        Fully agree. I’m taking a trip to Russia soon. It’s my families motherland, such a beautiful country with a rich history. People keep calling me a spy, and it’s hurtful, especially when they pull out their identification. – Jokes aside I really do agree. Internet culture has come up with some of the greatest, and dumbest, collectivist thoughts and this meme is a great example of the latter.

        Edit: Keep up friends. “Motherland” “Russian” “Spy” “Identification” “Jokes aside”

          • @Synnr@sopuli.xyz
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            1 year ago

            I’m quite positive going to Russia would be dangerous for me regardless of my ethnicity or background 😄. They really do have some neat brutalist art and architecture, but I can see that from the safety of my couch with Bald & Bankrupt.

        • @Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works
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          41 year ago

          Fuck that, Russia doesn’t deserve a cent of tourism money. Would you have gone to Germany in 1939 if it was your families homeland?

          • @Synnr@sopuli.xyz
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            -21 year ago

            I’m a Russian spy, and the FBI agent is pulling out their identification when questioning me.

    • @Bloodyhog@lemmy.world
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      61 year ago

      The good thing is that by that age you shouldn’t really give a fuck about stereotypes someone else has. Go chase what you like! And if you happen to have some fun with ladies here - all the better )

  • TronnaRaps
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    191 year ago

    I don’t get this? My mind didn’t go where it seems others’ here went. Is this about men looking for submissive women? Or something more sinister?

    • @astreus@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Man in 30s married to a half-Filipina woman here. When we went to visit for our honeymoon it was really gross. LOTS of very, very old men with teenage girls.

      I had women falling out of their chairs to look at me.

      I had a woman literally fall over while trying to ogle me while walking down the street.

      For our goodbye dinner, her Ate toasted us by saying “You have fulfilled all our dreams: you’ve married a white man.”

      I had several people say how ugly they were because they were Filipino.

      EVERY convenience store and super market had skin whitening creams.

      It was my first experience of the Philippines and the first experience I had of racial fetishism. My wife got preferential treatment for being Mestizos.

      The Spanish did a real number over there with their racial hierarchy bullshit.

    • @Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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      101 year ago

      You forgot the desperately poor women willing to sell themselves to men so that they can care for their families.

      • @AlDente@sh.itjust.works
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        11 year ago

        It’s the worlds oldest profession and these ladies can make more than engineers in their country. I don’t believe calling them desperately poor is fair.

        • @Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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          21 year ago

          I’m not talking about the prostitutes. I am talking about the younger Filipino women who get married to older American men so they have money for their family.

          • @AlDente@sh.itjust.works
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            11 year ago

            I don’t think reality is that black and white. I doubt the vast majority of ladies working in the red-light districts even consider themselves “prostitutes.” Many are waitresses, bar girls, and masseuses. Technically, prostitution is illegal in Thailand. If the relationship you describe is truly just a business transaction, it seems to be in the same venn-diagram circle as “prostitution.”

  • @Leviathan@lemmy.world
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    131 year ago

    I unironically would love to visit Thailand for the cuisine. Then again, if the internet is any indication, I must be the only white man on earth who isn’t particularly into Asian women.

  • Big fans of fruit salad with marshmallows, macaroni and mayonnaise? Cuisine wise the Philippines is what happens when all the professional chefs die and their 5 year old kids just step into the role.

    • Herbal Gamer
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      81 year ago

      fruit salad with marshmallows, macaroni and mayonnaise?

      none of these words should be that close together

      • @Agent641@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I have a much more open mind to weird food combos lately. Call it poverty gastronomy, but I’ve been living mostly on leftovers (not expired food, just food that needs to be used up soon or go to waste) for a while now.

        The other day I had leftover brown rice, greek yogurt (the real stuff, not just the sugary junk), and sweet chilli sauce (The sugary junk) for lunch and it was seriously awesome.

    • @Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
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      61 year ago

      I once walked into a Filipino bakery/eatery, just out of curiosity. Not a single thing there looked appetizing, all the pastries looked painted and artificial, it was odd.

    • That’s a nice way of minimizing an entire cuisine and culture based on one or two dishes. Regardless of the fact that the Philippines is made up of thousand of islands, with variations on the same dishes based on local taste and ingredients, or the influence of the many people that we have traded with and/or been invaded by. Oh and how poverty plays a role in how the people try to source their ingredients. But sure, yeah, kids and their cooking or whatever.

  • The Menemen!
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    81 year ago

    Phillipines as well? I only know the stereotypical Thailand pedo tourists. Man, I will hit the 50 in the not so far future. Got to make sure I keep my marriage alive.

  • @HipHoboHarold@lemmy.world
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    81 year ago

    Funnily enough my roommates dad actually went to Thailand for a bit after his divorce. Then him and his wife moved back here to the US.