Reflection Blog Post #1

 Reflection on: Alan Johnson, “Privilege, Power and Difference”

My Experiences as a Wasian (White-Asian) Woman

    What is your label? For some, their label is something that follows them around, whether they have chosen it to or not. Unfortunately, in our society today, it seems that women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+, struggle with the weight of their labels the most. Johnson left a powerful statement in his book that, “…if you come from several ethnic groups, the one that lowers your status is the one you’re most likely to be tagged with” (34). In my own life, I have felt this. My mother is Chinese, and my father is white. I also identify as a woman. Though I am half white, it has always come second. Since I can remember, I’ve been seen as Asian first. In the past, when people do not know my name, I’ve been referred to as, “that Asian girl”. I am sure there are other ways to describe me, certainly there are other distinguishing factors, (like how I always wear black, or that I have long dark hair and glasses) but the easiest and most identifiable thing about me is the fact that I am a minority. It is a label that is attached to me and will follow me wherever I go. 

    Johnson also adds in his text a list of scenarios in which privilege comes in to play. The scenario in which whites do not have to deal with “an endless and exhausting stream of attention to their race” where they will be deemed as exotic or something other, struck my attention. Recently I started a new job. Immediately when meeting my new coworkers, I was asked “what are you?” One coworker even went so far as to stroke my hair and gush that “you Asians always have such long and thick pretty hair.” Though I’m sure it was meant as a compliment, it was still an uncomfortable experience to have my hair pet and asked such questions, as if I was a dog and they were asking my breed. Especially since I was meeting these coworkers for the first time. I think a lot of times, people are not aware of how their words or actions can stem from a place of bias, racism, or prejudice. Statements and actions like this are not inherently evil, however, they are still harmful as they make non-white identifying people feel wildly uncomfortable and objectified. I don’t want my blog post to come off as if I am just ranting (though it does feel good to share), I want this post to hopefully bring attention to how real and how often scenarios like the ones Johnson wrote about, actually occur.

Slides on Instagram about confronting internalized biases