Dear Humans, Don't Be Insane. The World is No Place For Hate!

Know how Asians are fighting Xenophobia and Toxic Masculinity.

Namaste.

When people say, ‘We’re all in this together,’ it’s like we’re all in the same ocean but we’re on very different boats.” Some people are on mega yachts and some people are on, like, Jack and Rose’s wrecked ship, trying to balance in the middle of a storm.”

There are some of the stories revealed in a new youth-led study showing that one-quarter of Asian American young adults have been the targets of racism over the past year. The discrimination they detail primarily takes the form of verbal harassment, shunning and cyberbullying.

Via Giphy

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Asians and people of Asian descent have been targets of derogatory language in media reports and statements by politicians as well as on social media platforms, where anti-Asian violence and hate speech related to COVID-19 also appears to have spread extensively. Notably, Indians are potrayed, not only in the west world, but even in the next-door countries that "they're brown and they smell like curries."

Overall, 45% of Asian adults say they have experienced at least one of five specific offensive incidents since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, 32% say someone has expressed support for them since the start of the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, a majority of Asian Americans had personally experienced discrimination because of their race and ethnicity. A survey has also shown 84.5 per cent of Asian Australians have faced discrimination this past year.

While the US administration appears to be finally acknowledging the urgent need to address anti-Asian hate and discrimination, in the United Kingdom, where the problem is equally grave, the authorities are still turning a blind eye to the predicament of Asian communities.

Toxic Masculinity For Men

Via Giphy

It pressurizes men to think they need to have a strong physique, hide their emotions, and act in an aggressively dominant way. Men wearing makeup, sequins or skirts, talking about emotions and mental health on public platforms translate them to a supposed admission of being ‘gay’ or ‘like a woman.’ A belief comes from the western stereotype that Asian men aren’t attractive, a misconception that they're less masculine.

Some Asians are redefining what it means to be masculine(or feminine) and attractive in a culture where the toxic masculinity is still alive. This has encouraged a lot of people worldwide to appreciate beauty in any stream without the filters of dominant gender constructs.

“No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself.” - Kim Namjoon, BTS.

We need kindness and compassion at all times, and especially as people of Asian descent are experiencing heinous treatment ranging from microaggressions to life threatening violence. Let’s all speak out against mistreatments, and let's remember that we are all people facing difficulties together.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Legend.

PS: I'm not prejudiced to any particular gender, race or ethnicity, religion. Even people from the western world are victims from lot of hate. As an Asian, I strongly believe the love to surpass the hate that burning around the world. Peace✌️

Lemme know your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!

Jai Hind.