Hi pad'ika today something happened while I was shopping someone stopped me and said you look so pretty are you asian and I said yes I am half asian and half Russian she couldn't believe it, I don't blame her it's always shocking when people find out because I look full asian (i was adopted from russia and i moved when i was young so i don't know how to speak russian).
That's sounds uncomfortable i'm sorry. It's nice to get the compliment but then it's followed up with "what are you?" AND THEN they refuse to believe whatever you tell them... smdh. Hopefully they left you alone after that. I'm sorry it sounds like you hear that same disbelief a lot. Your story shouldn't be interrogated by a stranger!
Oceana 🦋 I'm almost convinced you're a soul sister of mine because I was also adopted (not from Russia tho).
tw. extreme microaggression, adoption and body dysmorphia implication
YOU HAVE TO LOVE THE SKIN YOU’RE IN FIRST.
a plethora of her biological mother’s words are scribbled on papers hidden beneath her pillow, but that’s the phrase that stuck with cherry the most. stubborn cherry, argued down by a woman who knew all too well what this world will tell her about the body she was born in.
YOU HAVE TO LOVE THE SKIN YOU’RE IN. YOU HAVE TO BE PROUD OF IT.
“ and there you have it, ” the recorded sound of a woman’s voice is heard from the other side of her cell phone, a video titled 5 LOOKS FOR NATURAL HAIR that she had paused and rewinded over fifteen times. “ the perfect looks for my natural haired queens. go and slay. ” TWO SPACE BUNS SIT on top of her head , the rest of her defined curls hanging loosely as the tutorial clicks off. a mess of hair products sit atop a pearly white bathroom countertop; the got2b glue previously smeared on finger tips being washed off underneath a faucet before stepping back to admire her work.
you have to love the skin you’re in. there was no smoke surrounding the bathroom from the strands of hair she’d burn just to pin them straight, the flat iron stayed comfortably underneath a variety of products in her bottom cabinet. for cherry, as she stared down at the curls she was so used to tucking away into pony tails, as if doing so could hide her skin color, it was natural, it was comfortable, and it all seemed to click. she was proud of it.
the pride being evident even as she heard a knock on the bathroom door, opening it to reveal her mother in a long nightgown, holding out her arm. “ i was outside for hours yesterday, i’m almost as black as you are now, cher. ” a jolt in brows as brown hues adjust to glance at the pale skin her mother was referring to, only for a burnt shade of redness from the sun to be returned. said jokes among the family, mostly at the expense of the adopted member whose brown skin compared to their cream color was an excellent way for her to feel left out, were nothing new for cherry. they’re just jokes, the group would claim at the dinner table, so much so that she trained herself to laugh at them.
there was no time to laugh now, however, as more important matters intruded her mother’s thoughts than whether or not her daughter would find the comment offensive. “ what are you doing with your hair? ” there was only one person more critical about cherry’s appearance than cherry herself. a woman who, when the child was at the mere age of five, put permanent straightener in her daughter’s hair so she didn’t have to bother with the tangles. the feeling of joy her natal mother preached about began to sink, muttering an I DON’T KNOW under her breath. cold hands place themselves on either side of her cheeks, the touch mimics affection, but she could tell simply by the look in her mother’s misty grey eyes she felt the complete opposite. “ you look like one of those inner city kids. i can’t have you going to school like that. ” disgust running rampant through her timbre, pressing her lips to the girl’s forehead to ease her words. “ straighten your hair. you look much prettier when it’s straightened. ”
she shuts the door, although an ice remains on her cheeks from where her hands were placed, the separation between the two leaves cherry alone in the bathroom to pick up the slights aimed towards her. her attention is paid to the mirror fully, where she sends a dry chuckle to her reflection while observing the style she spent the morning perfecting; only now noticing the bits of hair poking outside of the buns she put them in, and the way the edges of her hair refused to stay in place despite the load of gel she lathered on to it. a fucking mess, she thinks. and her mother was right, she looks a lot better when it’s straightened.
i choose to answer this separately simply because i think it's important to me and not promote the stigma of “sounding black” or any other stereotypes like that. while there are most common ways such as AAVE (formerly known as ebonics), not everyone from one race will sound and act the same. while i will not ignore that yes, race does sometimes play in how you act or talk, but no one does it the same as another person. to lump us altogether and give us a “look” is degrading and disgusting. black people are not just one person, and if you think a foreign group or culture is lower than yours because it’s not the same, you need to reevaluate yourself. the asks on the topic i will be answering are the ones in regard to this screenshot.
if you guys didnt read in the post, some people made some distasteful ignorant comments about important black community topics. as someone from the black community, many things in and outside of our community has bothered me. whether it be racism, colorism, police brutality etc. i am the biggest believer and supporter of uniting the black community no matter what hair texture, what their kids will look like or how dark their skin is -- and it doesnt just stop there.
-> on the topic of the black community, here are some BLM petitions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
+ protest safely 1, 2!
-> Zeno Robinson is such an amazing man, and not to mention he also went to the premiere dressed as hawks. his adoration for the characters he plays always shines through, no matter what role you put him in. you may have seen him in young justice as victor stone (cyborg), kimetsu’s no yaiba genya shinazugawa and many more! the way he embodies the characters he plays should never EVER be shadowed because of his skin color. this is for every black voice actor too. if anyone wants to make poor “jokes” about him not “sounding black” then you go fuck a fork. zeno did not show up to sound black, he showed up to play a character (which he does sUPERBLY at, and this is coming from someone who doesnt like hawks). if you think any type or form of stereotyping is okay, then i ask you kindly to escort yourself from my blog and never look back. i dont want your support.
-> i have heard about the Miruko (with her v.a Anairis Quinones) situation, so i will be touching on that too since both of “doesnt sound black” and “sounds white” has been tossed around. theres a BIG difference between not liking someone’s voice, and relating it back to their skin color. i can see the point of we were expecting more of a more punchier tone (saying this because of the relation and excitement like we’ve seen in her interactions with bakugo) but if youre saying she sounds white, you can go eat a spoon. again, Zeno and Anairis didnt show up to “act” their race. they showed up for the job, and were hired for it. i love both of their voices so much and i love them, they dont deserve this.
i love my people, and i will stand for them because it's the right thing to do. i want my followers to see and understand why it's important to be aware of the different communities around them. without further adieu, i will get started. everything is under the cut (answered from oldest to the newest)!
*Hawks’ English V.A (Zeno Robinson) & Hawks for reference.
*Miruko’s English V.A (Anairis Quinones) & Miruko for reference.
~ Asks I’ve answered that I think are insightful on the Hawks situation (1, 2) ~
Anonymous said:
I would like to add onto the Hawks situation if that's ok? For those who don't know, Zeno Robinson is a black man and voices Hawks. When his English voice was revealed in trailers A LOT of fans commented how PERFECT his voice was. So Zeno literally embodies what makes Hawks' Hawks for some people. Also fans have also compared and drew Hawks as Egyptianesque gods. So to sit down and say/accept someone saying things like 'he doesn't sound black' and 'George [FLOYD] is a regular dude' is not only
A microagression and a blantant show of lack of compassion/support for a character that is a part of your safe space if you come home and thirst about hawks, but don't want to make your safe space 'political' by posting about police brutality. I'm not trying to make this explanation too 'political' but fans have to think what it's like for Hawk's VA to see someone like him getting murdered almost everyday in media for no acceptable reason and then have fans that choose to turn the other way.
- this is exactly the right point. people will not open their eyes to see what is wrong here. whether it be mocking a black actor’s voice acting, an ignorant comment about George Floyd, or ignoring black petitions to help the community. its subtle shit like that gives us and let’s us know that there is still ignorance and that these people dont hide it. it's disrespectful and disgusting.
the writer’s who said the George Floyd comment has since now apologized, but god that makes me so angry. people actively make a safe space that is supposed to be for EVERYONE not welcome by promoting stuff like that. its gross, it's disgusting, and people need to see that theyre actions are wrong. furthermore, if anyone thinks inappropriate race “jokes” are somehow funny, i will not be associating. i will not waste me energy on people who refuses to get the point.
Anonymous said:
Bro Zeno is an angel and hawks voice is fucking phenomenal, it's the only dubbed voice I've ever liked tbh. They don't deserve him. and WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT I'M SORRY HUH
- I FUCKING KNOW! letting that shit slide is beyond fucking disrespectful. i dont fucking like hawks but i will absolutely fight for zeno. that disrespectful isnt “not important” -- these people are actively ruining safe spaces for fucking everyone! let me be fucking damned if thats not “important enough” for you. 🙄
Anonymous said:
If you like Hawks at all, The LEAST you can do is not say or stand for things like 'George [FLOYD!!] is just a regular dude' and 'his voice doesn't sound black'. Don't be a part of the reason that makes Zeno's daily life and experiences harder than what they should be. 3/3 This goes for the amazing Mirko as well but I'll stop for now.
THIS!
seeing stuff that is hurtful, and it is damaging. people need to wake up and realize that anything can trigger anyone for any reason. people need to wake up and realize that “it’s not important” BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MANY PEOPLE! considering everything that is happening, this type of stuff will be deep rooted into someone who comes across it. i know what it's like to be blind about color until one situation flips your thinking on a switch.
for the Miruko situation, i remember seeing stuff about it. people need to understand that people are their own out of their skin color. we are people are people out of our skin color. let that sink in. if you dont like their voices outside of expecting them to sound “black” then that is completely fine. if its racially charged there is no excuse.
if you are creating exemplar palettes for the colour seasons, and your options for light season hair are all blonde, you have a narrow and limited view of what you're talking about, and no one should use the resource you're making. you need to make changes or replacements as soon as possible.
