No Longer Invisible: Let's Stop Asian Hate
Article by Kyra Talampas
I remember the first time I read a book with an Asian protagonist. I remember my excitement when I discovered a story told from a perspective that looked closer to my own. It’s not hard to remember because it was only last year.
Like many Asian-Westerners, I rarely saw people in film, music, books, and other mainstream media with features that resembled my own. Asians were typically limited to side characters or highly stereotyped roles, such as the silent exotic female, the socially awkward nerd, or the martial arts warrior. Looking back, perhaps I could have searched harder for books with an Asian perspective; but when only 11% of the fiction genre are written by people of colour, my selection would be highly limited.1
Of course, there has been a recent shift in Asian representation within pop culture. From Crazy Rich Asians’ theatrical debut, Parasite’s big Oscar wins, Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, Jenny Han’s novel To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Marvel’s upcoming releases of Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi, the immense wave of K-pop and K-dramas, and more, we are slowly but surely seeing a growing spotlight for a continent of 48 nations.
However, as we step out of our once invisible roles in society to celebrate these recent Asian accomplishments, we are also seeing a stark contrast between pride for our culture and fear for our safety. Many Asian Americans and Asian Canadians have unwillingly exchanged feelings of invisibility for an unwanted spotlight as they walk around their own hometowns, constantly looking over their shoulders in fear. Over one year, seemingly harmless microaggressions and the immense lack of representation to prove otherwise have contributed to a spike of over 1,150 reported incidents in Canada since last March.2 Over one year, we have seen the phrase “Where are you really from?” transform into a violent “Go back to where you came from.” Over one year, the hidden racism, misogyny, and xenophobia against Asians intertwined and led to the 8 deaths of the Atlanta shooting victims: Delaina Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon C. Park, Hyun J. Grant, Suncha Kim and Yong A. Yue.
It’s difficult to pinpoint a single circumstance that led to these incidents. Perhaps it was underrepresentation in the media that led to harmful stereotypes, the societal urge to assign blame for the pandemic, inadequate education about diversity and inclusion... the list could go on though it is likely a combination of all these factors. As for the attacks in Canada alone, 84% of incidents are against East Asians, 49% of attacks are committed in public spaces, 73% involve verbal harassment, 11% involve physical force, aggression or unwanted physical contact, 10% involve being coughed at or spat on, and 60% of victims are women.3 These numbers have been collected over a one year period, from March 2020 to February 2021.
These days, it can be hard to digest everything that is going on around the world. But now more than ever, we have seen the power in allyship when challenging systemic racism and violence against minorities. Whether you are Asian identifying or not, any action you take in support of the Asian community brings us one step closer to equality for those who have had an unheard voice for far too long. Listed below is a non-exhaustive list of ways you can join this allyship:
Start with self-education
- Racism against Asians is not new and has existed since the 1800s, no matter what the “model minority” myth tells you.4 Reading more about the history of discrimination against Asians here is a good starting point. Since Asians are already underrepresented in the media, it may take some extra digging to educate yourself.
- Asia is a diverse continent made up of 48 countries - each with their own cultures, traditions, languages, and people. We don’t all look East Asian. We don’t all have an “Asian name.” But if we do, it’s always nice when people know how to pronounce it.
- Unlearning Asian stereotypes that have been repeated over decades can be difficult. However, these have led to unconscious biases and discrimination within our schools, workplaces, and everyday lives. This Ted Talk by Canwen Xu is about her experience with stereotypes as an Asian American.
Address micro-aggressions & the bystander effect
- Comments such as “Where are you really from?” and “You’re (smart/pretty/outgoing/good at English) for an Asian” reduces one’s identity to personal biases and assumptions. It’s important to recognize when we are projecting stereotypes and how our words can affect others.
- If you witness discrimination or harassment, don’t be a bystander. This includes micro aggressions and speaking ill of others when they are not in the room. If you are interested in bystander training, Hollaback! offers free courses and online resources.
- If you witness a more violent form of harassment, you can use Fight Covid-19 Racism to report the incident. The website is funded by the Government of Canada and also includes some educational resources.
Donate what you can
- This can include money to individuals and organizations currently affected by these recent anti-Asian attacks. Here are just a few links to GoFundMe pages, though there are several more floating online:
- Canada Helps Asian Solidarity Fund
- Support the AAPI Community Fund
- Atlanta Shooting Victims
- More funds based in the United States
- Furthermore, donations are not limited to financial contributions; you can donate your time, talents, and support through other means, such as self-education, artworks, and petitions.
Support local Asian businesses
- With the current unpredictability of lockdowns and restrictions, nearly all small businesses have had to face an extreme decline in sales; however these struggles hit Asian-owned businesses much earlier in February 2020 through an 80% drop in support due to COVID-19 fears.5
- Any support for Asian-owned businesses will help them get back on their feet and in doing so, help dismantle ideas of xenophobia.
Share & repeat
- Spreading awareness through social media and in-person conversations is a great way to keep Asian voices heard. Here are some Instagram pages you can follow: The Peahce Project, Dear Asian Youth, Stop Asian Hate, Stop AAPI Hate, Hate is a Virus
- If you are looking for more ways to support, there is an abundance of resources online just a Google search away. Here’s one. Here’s another. And another.
- To avoid falling into performative activism, remember that allyship must also extend into our offline lives through education, donations, and conversations.
For far too long, Asian voices have been silenced and ignored by mainstream media, society, and people in our everyday lives. Now that eyes are turned our way, allyship can help us finally have our voices heard, accomplishments recognized, and problems addressed. Our perspective is no longer invisible, and maybe one day you’ll read a book about it.
So let’s stop Asian hate.
Sources:
[1]https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/11/opinion/culture/diversity-publishing-industry.html