Racism

Women                             ME                                 Asian

Sexism

Racism and sexism is in a bundle. Racism and sexism is one. It is shoved in my face on every corner, every block, every turn and every step I take. I am constantly reminded that I am a sexual object. My body, my hair, my lips make me a target of sexual advances. Society does not allow me to be erotic or sexual without putting me in a stereotyped category that will deem me loose, trampy, or slutty. Society does not allow me to have control of my body because my body and my image is constantly being flaunted in the media as a commodity used to sell products, to increase viewership, to drive revenue.

I am constantly told, in different ways, that I am the perpetual foreigner. I do not feel patriotic towards a country that will forever see me as the outsider. I do not feel that I can call this America my home. A sense of displacement is always present for me. I do not see representations of me in the media. The images that I do see of me and my people are stereotypically racist. I do not see women who look like me on magazines. I do see us and our culture being commodified by the Euro-centric society into "mail order brides", or trendy "Japanese" restaurants. The characters we use to communicate, which took over three thousand years to perfect, are now used as tattoos on body parts. Our clothing are turned into fashion that is being sold in high priced boutiques by European designers who have no concept of our culture. Our women are seen as "demure" while our men are seen as "asexual". I ask you how can I move beyond the bounds which society has placed on me?

Who am I to you? When I walk down the streets what do you see? Do you see me? Or do you simply see a creature, an exotic, obedient, docile, trained to be quiet creature? A creature with long black hair, slanty eyes and yellow skin. Or do you see some butt, some thighs, and breasts? Do you think "easy target", "she won’t make a sound", "model minority", "submissive"? How do I look? Do I appear mystic? Mysterious? Foreign? Unreal? Unreal? Unreal?

Do you lump me into one big pile with all other Asian women? Do you want to call out "China doll" when you see me and when I don’t respond are you going to scream "well, fuck you, you stupid gook!"? You must feel you have some power over me for you to feel you have the right to touch me. You must think I don’t count, I don’t matter, I don’t have a voice, I am probably begging for unwarranted sexual advances because I am taught to me submissive and docile. I am taught to put men first and to throw my needs out the window. I am to bow down and be the humble and passive being that my race and gender have made me. It is not in my nature to fight back and so you attack me. It is not in my nature to react so you attack me. It is not in my nature to have a voice so you attack me.

You see "Miss. Saigon" and you think "helpless" Asian women who needs the rescuing of big, strong men. You want me to giggle and be coquettish. You want me to acquiesce and give in. You want me to sit on your laps while I childishly twirl my hair and look at you with wondrous eyes. Do you think I am fond of your words? Do you think I like to hear you shout at me? Do you think your lips are sexy when I walk down the street and you lick them while starring intently at me? Do you think that I am a cat when you hiss or purr at me? Will I respond? Why would I respond?

So if you don’t see me it is because you refuse to, it is because you don’t want to rock the order of male and female relations in your Euro-centric mind. It is because you don’t want to admit that Asian or not I deserve respect. If you don’t see me and all you see is an exoticized image of stereotypes then it is because you want to continue to compartmentalize me. It is because you want to fit me into a tiny little box, lock me in and throw away the key. You want to put my breasts in one box, my ass in another, my lips in yet another, my thighs in one more and so on and so on. You want to label them neatly and put them on your desk as trophies. You want to think I cannot be anything but sexual categories, pieces of flesh, objects of desire. You want to decide for me that I want a man. Not only a man but a man who isn’t Asian because you will look at my Asian counterpart and say "he is weak and he cannot help you ‘China Doll’". You want to decide that Asian men are feminine and asexual. You will use them as your crutches to rise to the upper tiers of social order and you will take me in the boxes with you.

I cannot continue to let you victimize me. I cannot sit still while you push me down. I will no longer keep my mouth shut. I am not going to be stereotyped, compartmentalized, pigeon holed, objectified, commodified, exoticized, eroticized, or colonialized. There is an urgency for me to create alliance with all women of color, with people of all races regardless class, gender, sex, color. I will create opportunities for dialogue, and for cross cultural understanding. I will forge bridges between race relationships. I will develop interracial relations and acceptance. I will empower women. I will give lend a voice to those who do not have one, lend a hand to those who cannot reach out. I will start with myself, my loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. I will further educate myself on racism and sexism so I can tackle the problems of racism and sexism efficiently. I will forge networks for those who are interested in making the connections with women, with people of color, with Third World women, with immigrants, with marginalized groups. It is sad to say that amongst my own people there are also many, many racist, sexist individuals. I do realize that and will not tolerate that either.

The decision is to create race and gender equality, so it is not enough that we tolerate each other. It is not enough that we are superficially cordial or civil. Racism and sexism goes both ways, from the white majority to the colored minority and from the color minority to the white majority or even to the other color minority. For there to be total equality, there has to be no classism, racism, colorism, or sexism. There has to be an understanding, appreciation, acceptance for all. There has to be immediate action and not a minute to spare.

You will no longer see hesitance. You will no longer hear silence. You will no longer be able to push me to the side. You will no longer be able to pass me over. You will have to deal with me, not as a sexual object, not as a perpetual foreigner, not as a mail ordered bride, not as a fashion trend, not as a "China doll", not as a "Miss. Saigon". You will have to deal with me on a personal level. You will deal with me as your equal. You will deal with me as a counterpart. You will give me the forum to speak my mind, the credit to form my opinions, the right to make my decisions, the ability to change my mind. You will not touch me, nor will you catcall at me. You will see me as a strong woman who is not there for your pleasure. You will see me as a citizen of this country who has every right to be here, as much as you do.

So, now that I have set the record straight and have clarify any confusions, misconceptions, ill-minded mentalities you may have, LET’S MOVE! It is now time for self reflection, for self discovery. It is time for us to develop communities where we all work towards common goals. It is important that we deal with each other on equal terms. To achieve that, we must first see each other, and understand each other, and make efforts to reach out and put all our prejudices aside. There is no "me against you" or "us against them". Racism and sexism is OUR problem. For me or anyone of us, or you to feel unjust, all of us will suffer. For anyone to feel discriminated against, we, as a people, fail. There is no equality for some but only equality for all. Men cannot suppress women and not suffer the consequences. Whites cannot oppress Blacks and not pay a price. We should also realize that our goal for equality isn’t to achieve colonialistic mentality or classist status. If we do, we would have simply turned into the oppressors whom we are trying to overthrow.

So the next time you see me walking down the street, I hope you realize that I am a woman. I am your mother, your daughter, your sister, you aunt, you niece, you teacher, your counterpart, your companion, your reflection, your equal, your weakness, you strength, your feelings, your thoughts, your vision, your heart, your feelings, your fears. I am strong, I am real, I am powerful, I am respectful, I am angry, I am sad, I am tough, I am loud, I am resourceful, I am a human being on every level…just like you. I am a warrior woman and I will continue to challenge.

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