I’m done: Thoughts from an angry Southeast-Asian female

As a Filipino female in her early twenties with a prosperous future ahead and living in a democratic country, it’s disheartening to constantly see people from my community become a target of racism and abuse. I’ve never felt more disgusted at the way the people feel, think and speak about us. 

Whether it be the long stares, the negative energy or the avoidance and the superstitions, we’re the bad guys, but in reality, we’re the victims. The constant attacks, the physical and verbal abuse are not accidents; they are malicious and come from a feeling of superiority and privilege based on the colour of their skin.

Speaking of what has been happening in America lately, we all have “bad days” as the police described this act of terrorism and xenophobia, but that does not justify the harming and targeting of innocent people out of ignorance.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Asian community, and specifically those from Southeast and East Asia, have been incorrectly blamed, stigmatised and attacked.

Being told that they’re the reason why coronavirus happened and making them feel like their lives are less important during this entire pandemic is so unfair. The very people being blamed want to go back to normality as much as the rest.

When I saw on the news that the people who were shot and killed in Atlanta were mostly from an Asian ethnicity, my heart sank thinking that it could have been my family going shopping or simply having their morning walk. 

I think that this issue hit me the most at the moment when I saw that these acts were repetitive. America has a long history or violence and discrimination against Asian-Americans.

We’ve all heard racist terms and moved on with our lives, but there’s something that shifts within you when you see it constantly on social media; elders being pushed, stabbed in broad daylight, being robbed and left without anything when they’re walking by themselves.

That’s when you realise that this is not okay and it’s time for you to stand up and speak out demanding better treatment and equal respect.

The number of people that been hurt and killed by racism has the same importance as those who have contracted and died due to Covid-19. There’s no difference, no exceptions and rank of importance. How the Southeast Asian community has been treated is unforgivable. This level of hate shouldn’t be tolerated towards any ethnicity. 

After living in a country for so many years that I consider my home, it makes me so sad that we’re not being welcomed anymore. This feeling of exclusion and unfairness shouldn’t be happening in the 21st century, where all countries are culturally diverse.

I’ve been a victim. I’ve been looked down on, treated without respect and been avoided. In light of these things happening not only in America but all around the world, it brings back unpleasant memories of being constantly made fun of because of my race and physical appearance.

If you’re ignoring anti-Asian racism or even committing yourself out of anger, misunderstandings and the will of not wanting to learn and distinguish what’s right and definitely wrong, you should definitely reevaluate yourself as a human being because if the shoe was on the other foot, you wouldn’t be acting this way.

If you eat Asian food, listen to K-pop, watch anime, read mangas… Speak out and defend this act of violence. Don’t be a hypocrite and ignore this issue. This must be stopped now because the people who are suffering and being unfairly killed are someone’s parents, grandparents and siblings.

Stop Asian hate. We all have the right to be respected and to feel safe.