There’s a bit too much for me to unload here, but let me try, at least for a few minutes. What happened in Atlanta was horrific. Violence agains women is horrible. Violence against Asians is horrible. Violence agains Asian women carries double the trauma.
And while I appreciate the general outcry and the support from a whole host of celebrities, I can only sigh and wonder, did it really take you this long to figure out that shitty things have been happening to Asians for a long time, and that it was exacerbated by President Kung Flu? Does it take a mass shooting to realize that pernicious stereotypes and covert racism have been a part of the Asian experience in this country, and the Asian woman experience in particular, for as long as we can remember?
Don’t tell me that this isn’t a race-driven crime. Don’t tell me the continued exoticization and fetishization of Asian women doesn’t play a part. Since leaving my hometown of Honolulu – where, frankly, 40% of the population is Asian and no-one really cared much what race you were anyway – I have struggled with the trope of the exotic, submissive Asian woman. I’ve been marginalized by male equals and inferiors in the workplace more than I could ever explain. My exotic looks have been weaponized against me. I have been called “young lady” by men a few years older than me, because it’s ok to infantilize Asian women.
And let’s not even get into what women of all races have to face – the violence against us, the fear of being alone on a dark street because some fucking idiot might harm us, and when that happens it’s our fault for being on that dark street. Men, frankly, that’s your problem for creating a society where we women need to change our behavior because you can’t collectively get your shit together and start treating us like equals, not the weaker sex.
I’m angry, I’m tired. It’s been a hell of a week. And frankly, I’ve had “a really bad day”.
Coronavirus Diary: Mental Health in a strange new world 
Your “rant” is more than justified. It is necessary. Thanks.
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Pinkerton looks like a hug is in order…maybe you need one too🙃 Try giving one as well- the World needs all the Love it may get- if not, hate/evil conquers. Press forward! Let not the darkness in life overcome our bright hearts full of Love! Press on! Love one another! Overcome all things with Faith & Love. ❤️
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Courageous and proper reflection, Sarah. Sometimes you have to get angry. Above all, when anger does not affect clarity and intelligence to express oneself. And this is the case
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It’s ok to be young (when not used as subject to patronize) and it’s ok to be beautiful 😉
I read this days about some great plagues in history (black death, spanish flu etc) and is stunning how in some moments human fellows (lots of them, whole comunities sometimes) loose humanity so easy and transforms into something else… We call ourselfs intelligent, civilised, educated forms of life, but the crust is so thin…
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This! All of it. Thank you Sarah Hicks. Not a rant. Just the truth.
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Good afternoon, Sarah.
I want to thank you for your post. It was necessary that you spoke out your mind.
My niece Melanie sent me a pm on Messenger about what happened in Georgia. She is Cambodian and lives in Long Beach, California. Her dad is my wife’s brother. Me and my Channara were supposed to go to her wedding in august 2020 but we couldn’t make it because of our jobs and the covid-19. I’ve never been to California. My wife did twice. My wife’s family are spread in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California and Montréal.
We weren’t aware of what happened. I was petrified to read an article from the Time magazine. Our thoughts and our sympathies go to the families. This is so sad.
We as human beings are supposed to be sociable animals. This is what I remember from my philosophy courses. We (Asians, Blacks, Caucasians, Latinos, Natives, ….) are sharing 99.9 % of the same genes. Sometimes it makes me wonder why these crazy things still happen in 2021.
Let’s hope that one day we’ll be all t∞gether as 1.
n.b.: sweet picture of Pink. Thanks for sharing. Say Hi to Paul from us.
-30-
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Sometimes I feel like the human race will never learn, although I have to believe that it will!
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Yes! Please do Press Onward! We are/we’re not born to live in fear or cynicism. Those two pillars build altars to hate & anger. When the darkness of hate & it’s bedfellows burn brighter than Love & Faith in the Human Spirit- Evil begets Evil. History has shown to be a great Truth. We must walk in Love & Shine the brightness of Joy in a World desperate for it!
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