hello.
as an asian american, i’ve been seeing the rise of hate crimes happening in the US. these past few days have not come as a surprise; they have come, rather, as a grimly accepted truth that many only think is the surface of the wound.
no.
the blood spilt these past few days are only the tip of the iceberg. i need you all to understand this. asian racism/hate/xenophobia is so normalized, and that doesn’t even begin to cover most of what is the problem here. i could talk for days on end about these issues, but i’ve come here to say something in particular.
i am an adopted asian american. i have grown up in an extremely white area; i’m very whitewashed, i’ve never been told “your food is stinky,” and i’ve largely avoided being targeted by racist, xenophobic bigots because i don’t fit the typical “quiet nerd” box. i’m loud. i’m extroverted. i like talking about anything and everything, and i will not be quiet when injustice occurs.
being adopted is difficult, because there is an automatic sense of exclusion. often i feel like i’m not white enough; other times, i’m not asian enough. i’m not sure if i’m allowed to mourn with my asian friends who are not adopted, and i’ve never known where i belong. the asian community can be exclusive; i can’t relate to the culture or language, i don’t understand everything about what it is to be asian, and i know that i’m not alone in this feeling. despite that, it’s still lonely, and it’s a burden that us adopted asians must bear alone.
that being said; asian adoptees still face the racism, sexism, fetishization, and cruelty that non-adopted asians face. we still are called slurs and derogatory names. we are still teased for our looks. we are still boxed into the model minority myth, and we still cannot escape the hate that is thrown at the asian community as a whole. we are exposed to the hate directed towards the asian community, but we are not accepted into it as who we are.
regardless; right now, you are allowed to feel angry and overwhelmed.
you are allowed to feel.
you are allowed to mourn, and you are absolutely allowed to fear this rise of hatred.
why, you may ask?
because OUR COMMUNITY IS UNDER FIRE.
with the past few days, it’s been triggering, painful, and altogether confusing to know what to do in these times. my fellow adopted asians; please know that you are “asian enough.” you are. you are part of the asian community, and you need to know that you are more than allowed to grieve and mourn and feel fear concerning the latest events. now more than ever, we cannot be divided. regardless of whether you are blood related to the family that you live with or not, ALL asians are being targeted right now. ALL of us share in the fear that is being spread. ALL OF US.
so. to my asian adoptees; i love you. you are valid. you are asian enough, and you are more than allowed to feel the feelings that you have regarding these incidents. you are enough as you are.
to the asian community; stand together. the adopted community has your back, and we mourn alongside you. we mourn with you, and we feel your anguish. we understand your pain. and together, we will not stay silent.
