2017 has not been our brightest, or most tolerant year as a nation. That may seem like a completely subjective statement to some, but with an administration that continues to perpetuate forms of racism and sexism, it’s difficult not to feel negatively toward our current state as a nation. In short, America has seen better days.
Racism, though having been an ongoing issue for … well, forever, is being openly expressed more this year. White supremacist groups, hate speech, hate crimes, travel bans – you name it, and CNN is reporting on it. As a 20-year-old half Asian, half European female, it is difficult not to feel so small in a country filled with so many hate-filled, race-related problems that I am not necessarily directly affected by.
It does not go without saying though, that I have never been subjected to racist remarks and actions by classmates, strangers, and frat brothers. Growing up, it was not uncommon for me to receive troubling questions from my peers. “The pinky is the Chinese middle finger, right?” “Do Chinese girls really have sideways vaginas?” “Did you eat a dog for dinner last night?” When I was on vacation in Florida with my parents, an interracial couple that have been together for 15+ years,a complete stranger spat at my dad just for being Asian.
When I got to college, I simply became belittled as a fetish for white men to drool over. The phrase, “oh shit, you’re Asian? That’s pretty hot,” is no longer unfamiliar to me, and I have forced myself to become unaffected by the idiocy expressed by those that think diversity is “exotic.” These moments have made me cry, made me struggle with my heritage, and made me wish I was able to conform to more Westernized beauty standards to look “less Chinese,” so that I wouldn’t get made fun of.
Still, this is nothing compared to the fear instilled in other minority groups fighting for their rights across the country. I do not mean to compare my experiences, but it is frank to say that I do not have to fear my parents deportation and I do not have to worry much about getting shot and killed due to a minor crime and a trigger-happy police officer. Yes, I have been a victim of racism in America, but my small taste of prejudices has only made me want change even more.
So, this brings me to my next slew of questions. How can I help and what can I do? Scrolling through my Twitter newsfeed and simply feeling bad is not enough, nor is it helping anyone. Retweeting videos of police brutality and posting about my disgust of hate speech isn’t cutting it. How can I, a 20-year-old Asian-European female, be part of making a change in this backwards country? The answer now begins and ends with politics.
Racism is no longer contributed to a state of mind or a terrible upbringing. It is not about where you were born, or how you were raised. It has leaked its way into our government, our state senates, and our political parties. It’s time to realize that it’s not about the people that are racist, but the policies and laws that are.
Pick up the phone and call your state representatives! Argue. Insist on change. The mayor, senators, councilmen – talk and argue with anyone that will listen. Pick up the phone, send a letter, send a tweet, or even go in person. It is time for change in a country where systematic racism and inequality have existed for far too long. I refuse to be part of yet another generation that lets these issues slide by in hopes that, “maybe one day, change will come.” These reforms will happen when we make them happen, and the time is now.