➭ [ space or arrows to proceed <3 ] ────────────── TRANSCRIPT: ⋆｡˚. I'm so tired of all of this racism and xenophobia. I grew up hating my culture, my food, my eyes. Kids would call my food gross and disgusting and pull their eyes at me in elementary school, to the point where I wished I was born into a different family. More than anything, I wanted to be white. I still remember those "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees" songs that were hurled at me. How could I forget? We all sang along, seeking that white validation. I remember that day where I told my parents that I didn't want them to cook me Chinese food to bring to lunch anymore. I remember those days where I would think, "Maybe if I moved to Asia, I wouldn't have to experience this. Maybe I would finally feel accepted." I was so so different from everyone else at my school. People are attacking us for our race, something that I couldn't change no matter how much I prayed. My mind was so distorted I thought of the word "Asian" as an insult. It's not. Our culture is so beautiful and holds so much meaning. Our eyes are beautiful, and it's not for you to appropriate. Those innocent Asians brutally murdered and attacked (source: 3), they could have been my parents or grandparents. We aren't any different from you. Why is it that you soak up our culture and creations but you won't respect us as people? Why are you attacking innocent elderly Asians? (source: 2) It's so disgusting and low. Stop AAPI Hate found nearly 3,800 hate attacks against Asian Americans in the past year. (source 5) Stop blaming us for the virus. Stop telling us to go back to our country. I was born here. I'm American, but all I am to you is "exotic" and nothing more than my ethnicity. Wasn't America a place for opportunity and freedom? Why is it that you do not welcome us here? Even the Pilgrims immigrated here in the past. Have you not learned that from history? Do you not realize how many diseases they brought over from Europe? You aren't blaming them. I'm really, really tired of this. You love our media, our food, and our music. Where are all the people who loved anime and k-pop and enjoyed our food? Why are you all silent now? You can't just soak up our culture and be racist to us at the same time. I don't even know where to begin about Asian infantilization, Asian fishing, and cultural appropriation. 1) We are not your uwu pure kawaii cute baby. I've seen so many people infantilizing K-pop idols. These people are grown men/women. It's okay to call them cute, but calling them babies is not ok. 2) Our eyes are not yours to appropriate. You can't just take them and not want the racism that comes along with it. The "fox eye" trend is racist. You are changing the shape of your eyes and doing the eye pull, a mockery that Asian Americans had to grow up with, and you call it a trend? Please stop Asian fishing 3) Stop treating our culture like an aesthetic. 4) If you are going to wear our cultural clothing, do some research. Our culture is not a fashion trend. It is not meant to be taken by you and shown off as a style. There is history behind those outfits. It's not for you to appropriate and mock. The difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation is that "appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally whereas appropriation is simply taking, adopting or 'cherry-picking' one aspect of a culture that is not your own and using it for your own personal interest. Simply, one requires permission (i.e cultural exchange) and the other is without." (source: 1) (Examples of cultural appropriation vs appreciation) Try to see if you can identify cultural appropriation vs. appreciation! (Examples from source 1) (skip) - Purchasing a piece of jewelry or clothing that may have important cultural significance to that culture, but simply using it as a fashion statement. (Appropriation) - Supporting an African artist by purchasing designs directly from them. (Appreciation) - Capturing a photo of a ritual ceremony simply for the sake of getting as many likes on Facebook as possible. (Appropriation) - Wearing a South Asian bindi when invited to do so at an Indian festival. (Appreciation) ────────────── ➭ ⊹₊ ⋆ what can you do to help us? ꜜ Well, first of all, you can start by respecting our culture and people. Second of all, please speak up about this. Even if you are not a POC, spread the word. Don't make this another trend that you will brush aside later. Stop spreading stereotypes. I cannot stress this enough, I have spent years trying to fit into Asian stereotypes of being smart and good at instruments.
Thank you, @euphorical !
