Who’s the one being rude here???
Yesterday, this was just a small personal Facebook post in response to a story I read, but I appreciate that my FB friends jumped on how ridiculous and subly anti-Asian the New York Times is being. Pushing this narrative that white/European/western norms are nice/polite/correct — particularly taking shoes off in the house? Also, it’s the NEW YORK Times — not just being Korean, most New Yorkers including this self do not want whatever items of rat, poop, vomit, old milky puddles, people have to walk through in the city to cross into the sacred household. Plenty of my white friends see this Asian custom as not just reasonable but smart.
This is not the first time the NYT acts like the white Western perspective is the “correct” one like is this article, that I’m paraphrasing is “Ew, what are these disgusting things Asians eat?” a.k.a. : boba — where they called it “alien”and a “new drink trend” (excuse me? they JUST found it?) and literally headlined it“The Blobs in Your Tea? They’re Supposed to Be There” — here’s my NYT gift link to you.
You’d think they’d know better, but now this next generation Emily Post is telling us our politeness is…rude! Not to mention taking shoes off in the house is standard politeness in many other cultures (e.g., Ukrainian) and not just Asians.
I follow the wonderful Kristin T. Lee on Instagram where she writes about highlights the best books you haven’t heard of (and some that you have) in her reviews — including a lot of AAPI writers.
I love her graphic explainer here on just why and how it’s so tiring even though Asians literally built this country’s railroad, why we still aren’t seen as full, normal members of American society and culture.
Have you felt this way? Like you have ASK for acceptance when you being you and being here in America (if that’s where you are) isn’t enough. You ARE enough.
Similarly, should Asian American literature have its own section? There is pride in ethnic representation, but would it mean Asian American authors are regarded as equal to white authors by just calling them American authors? The Great ASIAN AMERICAN NOVEL or the Great AMERICAN NOVEL?
Love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
And thank you to Kristin T. Lee, who writes about faith, identity, and solidarity in her Substack newsletter, The Embers and is writing a book on Asian American Christianity.
