But seriously, what’s more racist? The offensive slanty eye gesture that’s clearly not allowed, or the fact that they have the Asian girl eating her lunch with chopsticks?
Sometimes subtle racism is the worst funniest.
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20 Comments to “Racism Is Unacceptable.”
Efren wrote:
LOL! I was gonna say…the Asian woman looks Filipina! There aren’t too many of us who know how to use chopsticks correctly anyway!
Posted on 26-May-09 at 2:39 pm | Permalink
jaehwan wrote:
Haha…good find.
Posted on 26-May-09 at 3:47 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
What’s wrong with an Asian woman using chopsticks to eat lunch – especially a bowl of food?
Nothing. We don’t know anything about this Asian. 40% of Asian Americans are born outside of the United States and some probably used chopsticks as their primary utensil. And the large majority of Asian Americans in the United States come from cultures that use chopsticks (Chinese, Korean and Japanese).
The white dude is making fun of the woman’s eyes, not her chopsticks. And I don’t think the woman eating with chopsticks is subtle racism.
Posted on 26-May-09 at 5:00 pm | Permalink
Ed wrote:
Screw that! at work I pack my lunch and the biggest pair of chopsticks in my kitchen draw.
During lunch I pull them out for everyone to see and I walk across the office floor with chopsticks and a jug of Chinese tea.
That is my rebellion against western norms! if anyone laughs they get my fist of fury!
okok I admit, I’m purposely doing it bait the racist people and get into a fight with them.
Chinese Pride!
Posted on 26-May-09 at 5:32 pm | Permalink
Moye wrote:
Wow, really? Asian people use chopsticks? Who knew.
Yeah, I agree with the fact that most Asian Americans know how to use chopsticks, but I doubt it really had to be used in a photograph of a typical work lunch, especially when it looks like she’s eating a salad. I’m surprised they didn’t throw in a little Buddha statue in the background.
And yeah, the white guy is making fun of her eyes. So is it necessary to including chopsticks to insinuate how foreign and different the Asian girl seems in the office setting?
Btw, I totally brought and ate onigiri for lunch today. Take that, unacceptable racism!
Posted on 26-May-09 at 5:33 pm | Permalink
Ed wrote:
oh by the way, should I have to defend my right of chopsticks, I would point out that they are for civilized people.
Knife and fork requires repeated cutting and stabbing of meat.
V ^_^ V
Posted on 26-May-09 at 5:34 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
It looks like the woman is eating a bowl of rice with some vegetables to me. I don’t see any lettuce to make that bowl look like a salad. If it is a salad, then I agree that eating a salad with chopsticks is a bit unnatural.
Posted on 26-May-09 at 7:48 pm | Permalink
Ed wrote:
There’s nothing wrong with eating salad with chopsticks.
Have you tried it, it’s actually much better. Just try it. I’m serious.
Posted on 26-May-09 at 9:12 pm | Permalink
Phil wrote:
Eating a salad with chopsticks is unnatural?
So are you telling me that all the Asians and Non-Asians that use chopsticks while eating their Asian salads should instead use forks?
How inconsiderate of all the Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc people who give me chopsticks to eat their salads!
Ed…I 1up your Chinese pride with my own. I carry jugs of Fish sauce to add to whatever meal I eat. I also have Durian for dessert. I then wash it all down with a Avocado shake and add some really big black boba balls if it’s a good day.
Anyways, I wonder if people would actually find that picture racist or just funny since there are many who wouldn’t consider anything in that picture as racist. Actually it would be interesting to see if similar scenarios were used with other groups, and if people actually found it racist or funny.
Posted on 27-May-09 at 2:41 am | Permalink
Leo wrote:
Well, as a white guy here in Xi’an teaching English let me add that in the 3 weeks I have been here I have yet to see anyone eating any meal with anything but chopsticks. The same is true of my trip to Hainan Island. And Hanoi 3 times. Chopsticks are used for every part of every meal except for soup of course. Maybe some of you American Born Asians should return to the home country to see for yourself. And yes, I’ve got quite the chopstick skills.
Posted on 27-May-09 at 5:45 am | Permalink
jozjozjoz wrote:
@Leo, is the rudeness really necessary? Clearly this image is not depicting anyone in Xi’an, Hainan Island or Hanoi. Glad you’re so well-traveled, but don’t you see the irony in this image?
I’ve seen this image before and I believe it’s attributed as a PSA-type thing in Australia. Regardless, this is clearly not depicting an Asian in Asia, where — you’re right — everyone WOULD be eating with chopsticks.
But the point isn’t really about the actual use of chopsticks so much as the DEPICTION of what the Asian person is doing. It’s implied that they’re in the workplace so why would she happen to be eating lunch when her co-workers are mocking her? Oh, that’s right, because sitting at her desk on her laptop or phone isn’t Asian enough! They have to make it EXTRA clear that she’s “being Asian” (read: being different/foreign/non-Aussie) by depicting her whilst eating her food with chopsticks.
Hilarious.
PS – Sorry, Moye. I don’t think she’s eating a salad with those chopsticks, although I can see why you’d think that at first glance. But wait, isn’t a bowl of rice just being stereotypical, too!?!?
But John, not to belabor the point, but it’s not about whether or not people of Asian origin eat with chopsticks — of course they do. It’s that of all the things that she could be doing, especially given the context of this being a workplace harassment ad, why must she be shown eating (with chopsticks)? Think about it.
Phil, I’ve been wanting to start a series of polls called “Racist or Funny?”
Posted on 27-May-09 at 6:26 am | Permalink
John wrote:
@jozjozjoz – well, I guess using chopsticks “enhances” the woman’s “asian-ness,” but the guy is making fun of her slanted eyes. If there is a good size percentage of Asian Americans who bring their lunch to work and use chopsticks to eat their lunch, which I would not be surprised.
As for at work – when you are in a kitchen and there are only a few people, it’s probably easier to make fun of someone, as opposed to an open cubicle space or if everyone has an office – that would be much more difficult.
Posted on 27-May-09 at 10:11 am | Permalink
RR wrote:
Wow Leo, quite the charisma man, ain’t ya? You really showed us A-A’s. Except that your inane and vapid post only reveals that you might have some issues yourself when it comes to people of color speaking out on racism. It sure doesn’t show any insight to the topic at hand.
Posted on 27-May-09 at 5:58 pm | Permalink
BumScientist wrote:
Thai eat with their hands. So do Indians.
Posted on 27-May-09 at 7:53 pm | Permalink
Phil wrote:
Actually Thais do eat with chopsticks (thanks to the Chinese), but it depends on the food. Spoon and forks aren’t uncommon either.
Posted on 28-May-09 at 3:36 pm | Permalink
Barron wrote:
I eat lunch at work with chopsticks that I keep in my bag. My wife and her friends do the same. I don’t know what is wrong with the fact that the woman in the picture is doing the same.
Posted on 29-May-09 at 1:20 pm | Permalink
Jay wrote:
Leo, American born Asians are born in America… so their home country _is_ America. Are you saying that American born Asians can’t ever be American?
Jesse, way to be off-topic.
Posted on 30-May-09 at 2:47 pm | Permalink
nemogbr wrote:
Interesting photo.
Like Efren, I’m Filipino and didn’t learn to use chopsticks till my twenties, mainly due to eating at too many Chinese restaurants.
When I go, I see many families of all races using them. From kids onwards. The oldies are the ones who get the spoon and fork.
It has been a pleasure to help some of the European ladies on how to use them.
Posted on 03-Jun-09 at 5:26 am | Permalink
SirKelvin wrote:
I'm an african-american young male and I absolutely have no tolerance for racism. I mean, we should be past all of that. Don't you?
Posted on 17-Jun-09 at 5:53 pm | Permalink
SirKelvin wrote:
Asians born in America are as welcome as we are. I mean, we are known as the “United” States of America. Each state has it's own background and past. Like I said before, I have no tolerance for racism and any kind of hate towards and human or thing.
We all have the right to live, so live, and continue to let live.
I love everyone!
Posted on 17-Jun-09 at 5:57 pm | Permalink
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