Anti-Asian Racism, Violence, and Virus-Blaming During the Pandemic
The pandemic is harming Asian Americans. We can change that. The recent shootings in several Atlanta spas have brought violence against Asian Americans into the headlines. Again. Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. Unwarranted suspicion, fear, and even hatred of Asian people have been on the rise ever since word of the pandemic began to reach U.S. shores.
Yuchen Ye, 28, visited her parents in China late January 2020 for the Chinese New Year. She recalls being stared at while wearing a mask on the train when she returned to New York City a month later.“I was terrified,” she says. “Especially in March and April, people started being really against Asians, especially Chinese people. I tried to cover my face as much as possible when I went out, with sunglasses and a hat, because I saw more and more scary news about Asians being attacked.”Ye also worried about her work visa and felt pressured to put in more hours at the hospitality public relations agency where she worked to prove her value.
COVID-19 has already put an unrecognized burden on the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) community even without acts of discrimination and violence. To make matters worse, hate crimes against Asian Americans have been increasing. The recent incidents in Atlanta and violence against seniors are simply the ones making headlines. Even among those who aren’t subject to acts of violence, daily racism and discrimination create mental fatigue and exhaustion, compounding the stress and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent studies currently awaiting publication by Dr. Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt found an increase in microassaults against Asian people in the United States during COVID-19. The studies conclude that consistent experience with everyday racism may have led Asian Americans to believe in the sense of inferiority, leading to internalized racism and a low sense of self-worth.
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