Why do people keep calling me Joe? I find it insulting!?

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sanbox69

hey Joe!

nicelvguy

It is not meant as an insult. Most Filipinos know american as Joe. Since WW2 G I Joe was a common way to address the Soldiers. Don't be insulted. If they are addressing you as joe, it means they are friendly. Not insulting

â™¥Sakura

i think thats cool, Joe.. hah.. joke only =) peace man!

2py

what do you expect them to call u, Pedro? it's short for G.I. Joe... and they mean no insult joe, they just been calling americans "joe" since the time americans came here during the war... i guess. ok joe?

jrl

Hahaha, this is so funny! I greet white boys as "Joe" too when I meet them on the street. I don't mean it as an insult though, I'm just being friendly.I find that it's a nice way to start a conversation.

purple tactics

Don't worry about that, Joe.
It's not an insult in any way.
White americans still refer to native americans as "INDIAN", though they all say they mean no offense in doing so.
Think of it as harmless humor, in the same manner as when Chris Tucker call chinese people "Chin" in Rush Hour 2.
We know your name ain't JOE!!!
It's like how oriental people refer to black people as "Kobe" as in Kobe Bryant. There's no offense there, Joe.

sheerâ™¥black

I think it's the Philippine's version of 'yanks', Aussie's slang word for Americans. It's already part of heir culture and so as ours so I guess it can't be helped. Just don't take it personally.

The Rhino

because your white, just call the locals Bruce, and when they ask why you just say because in my country we think all asians look like Bruce Lee. lol that would piss us off big time.

Mahou

Ok, now I'm curious...
If someone meets me on the street in the Philippines and says, "Hi Joe"... What should I say? Like "Hi Jose" or something? Or is this just a one-way thing, they can have nicknames for us, but we can't have nicknames for them?

(I'm not joking here, either. I would really like to know!)

tomcat72667

lol thats what the brothers call someone they dont know

Joannah

Would you want to be called John (John Doe) instead?

Cloud 6

This "CDOguide" a couple of answers above really needs to lighten up.
Joe is just one of those names we Filipinos use to play with visitors of caucasian color. It's so lame that you say "instead of calling them Joe, say to them How do you do?".

I'll put this into use...

Hey JOE, wanna have a good time?
Hey Howdoyoudo, wanna have a good time?

I'm kidding of course...

jan-na~â™¥~ and im luvin it

hey joe, it's not an insult..i guess it's because of WWII. i first heard it from my veteran grandpa..

arienne321

Well, if you come to the Philippines, you have to suffer what the locals have been used to.

It is a name the locals attach to anybody of white or pale complexion, obviously foreign to their country. You need not be insulted, because this was carried on from the II World War when the American soldiers came here, since then every soldier was a Joe to them.

They don't know your name and they want to call your attention by calling you Joe, regardless of your real nationality.

And so, if you don't have any humor in your body and can't take that, maybe you can just go some place else where you won't be called Joe.

PG_13

since from my birth i was heard about that and i don't know the reason. but me, i'm saying that word.

bAbY_Gurl26^

hey, joe is actually more acceptable than what americans call filipinos in america!so your lucky weÂ´re not too discriminatory!

yonip.orig

Please dont get insulted, it is a term of affection and friendship in the islands.It is already ingrained in our culture since WWII, when American soldiers where called GI's or GI Joes. PEACE MAN!!!

Joe

Don't be so thin skinned about it. If you ask them I'm sure they will call you "Po" instead of "Joe"

CDOguide

I understand your frustration. It can be annoying at times but Filipinos are basically "playful". I am a Filipino from Mindanao. Tagalogs and those from other regions refer to people from Mindanao as Muslims or Abu Sayafs (terrorist group) which is quite unfair. I even experience it once when a group of people called me Abu or short for Abu Sayaf. I told them I am an atheist and if they believe in their freaking god, they better confess their sins this Sunday. I correct people right there and then who call foreigners "Joe". I tell them to say instead "Kumusta" or "How are you". Filipinos are known for their hospitality. Greeting foreigners as "Joe" is very 1950's and does not help promote good tourism in the Philippines.

Don't worry, you are not Joe. you are a mabait.

Di'tagapayo

Relax . . . I can already tell you are getting uptight about being in a foreign country (foreign to you). The fact that the local people want to talk to you is your sign they like you. You can go to Germany and be completely ignored. You want that? In a lot of areas of the RP the only Americans seen are on TV, so you seem like a bit of a TV star.
American Joes, came and died by the thousands along with the pinoy to free that Island against the Japanese. There are a bunch of the old timers that still remember those days. Try to be a nice guy especially if you're American. We don't need any bad publicity right now.

Battle of the Philippines (1941â€“42)
C'mon . . . you can learn a little history while you're there. It'll take you mind off worying why the bargirls call you Pangit insted of Joe.

zâ˜ºâ˜ºmjetâ–ºâ–ºâ–º

......where are you going with that gun in your hand?

Lushbabe4ever

I dunno but most of the kids & some of my fellow Filipinos but not all will usually greet every white guys that way! "Hi, Joe!". Maybe it started after World War 2 when the Americans went to the Philippines. They are the one who taught the Filipinos how to greet them that way and until now it's still use to greet any white guys (Americans or Europeans). It's not really an insult but just a harmless friendly greetings to white boys like you. (--,)

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