We need more diversity points for our store!'
I didn’t work there for much longer."
Note: This post contains mentions of sexual harassment.
“The next day, a manager incredulously asked me, ‘Why didn’t you tell us you’re Filipino? We need more diversity points for our store!’ I didn’t work there for much longer."
One time, someone said to me, “You’re too brown to be Asian.”
And unfortunately, many other Asian American Pacific Islanders and other POC have faced them.
Here are some stories that will have you shaking your head in disdain:
1.
“I go to an Ivy League school.
I’ve corrected them on how to say my name five times.
This is not okay.”
“I worked at a popular retail store during my first year of college.
While talking to one of our managers, I casually mentioned that my mom was from Manila.
The next day, a manager incredulously asked me, ‘Why didn’t you tell us you’re Filipino?
We need more diversity points for our store!’
I didn’t work there for much longer.”
indy1989
3.
Yeah, she thought that just because I’m Asian meant I’m automatically Buddhist.
I didn’t grow up religious at all.”
mushygoat23
5.
“I’m Japanese, but because I grew up in Hawaii, people assume I’m Hawaiian.
One time, at a conference, someone told me that my English was ‘really good.’
If I were more quick-witted, I would have said, ‘Yours too.'”
“Not me, but my dad.
Anonymous
7.
He was talking about fa’aumu, also known as ‘chee hoo.’
I was disgusted.”
“I was helping this older gentleman with shipping at my old job.
He mentioned that he’d worked at the company years ago and was glad nothing had changed.
moniquecapati
10.People will ask, ‘Where are you from?’
“I’m a Japanese American who was born in the United States.
(My parents immigrated to the US in the early ’80s.)
I dont expect people to know by looking at me).
But many times, once Ive shared my background, theyve responded, ‘You cant be Samoan!
Youre too skinny.’
Obviously, thats not something that should ever come out of anyones mouth.”
“I’m Chinese and was born and raised in Canada.
I was telling a coworker my son was struggling in his final year of high school.
She said, ‘Oh, that’s right.
You Asians have a thing about your children getting good grades in school.’
I was rather offended.”
“I am Pacific Islander and Asian.
A food truck servingChinesefood began to base itself in the area a couple of days a week.
EVERYONE asked me or the one other Japanese woman if the food was good.
You know, benign racism is racism nonetheless.
It made me giggle, seeing everyone get flustered.
The food was bad, by the way.”
He’s an older gentleman.
We weren’t mad, but it was just awkward.
boredenoughtobehere
16.Lastly: “I’m Indian American and was born in the US.
I’d often get cast in stereotypical roles or not at all.
(Granted, opera is a very old medium, so racist tropes are unfortunately a given.)
They didn’t cast me.
Instead, they cast a white woman and made her do brown face.”
