Anti Asian American Racism in the US
It’s been surfacing here and there recently throughout social media, however anti-Asian American narrative has spiked in the US since the beginning of the pandemic. Now that it’s starting to receive more attention, how can we respond with our mental health in mind?
Acknowledge Your Feelings
As always, the first step to anything is acknowledging the thoughts and feelings that a particular event evokes in us. Especially as the recent attacks have been focused on elderly Asian Americans, it is natural that it might provoke some intense emotions within us. It might prick the filial piety string, the desire to protect elders string, or even the string associated with our own parents or grandparents. One common immediate emotion might be Anger - Anger that this is happening to the Asian American community, or Anger that it has taken so long to be talked about. If Anger is an emotion you feel, make sure you allow it space to be experienced so that it doesn’t consume the other emotions hiding underneath. Anger is predominantly an emotion that hides other emotions - it’s the easier and more accessible emotion that shelters the more vulnerable and deeper emotions underneath. It’s important that we feel those too. Whatever your feelings are, don’t shove them into a box, never to be seen again.
Be Wary of Self Judgment
Be mindful of ‘gaslighting’ your feelings or dismissing your emotions. Or of judging yourself for your current emotional state. Like with everything else, there is no ‘Right/Wrong’ way to go through a specific experience. There is no manual called “Dealing with Asian American Hate in the United States because People See Asian Americans as The Scapegoats for a Global Pandemic.” Such a book doesn’t exist, and there’s no prescribed way that Asian Americans 'should’ feel or do. So if you find that you are judging yourself for your emotional landscape - Numbness, Indecision, Indifference, Fear, Anger, etc - let go of that judgment. You are feeling what is natural to you during this traumatizing experience, and that is okay.
Take Care of Your Health
If you find yourself overwhelmed by the content on social media, step away and take a break. If reading through stories of Asian Americans’ experiences of overt racism floods you with intense emotion, it’s ok to not read them constantly. Make sure you are still eating well, drinking enough water, and sleeping plenty every night. If our physical bodies are suffering, it significantly reduces the resources left to manage any emotional or mental difficulties we may be facing. So to give yourself the best chance to manage this in the healthiest way possible by making sure you are nurturing your body the best that you can.
Connect with Community
Speak up about your experience with people that you trust will be emotionally safe. And speak together about how this experience is affecting you. It is an extremely powerful experience to know that we are not alone in our experiences, or to share a vulnerable part of us and for it to be accepted, embraced, or even shared. Give yourself that opportunity for powerful connection with others who may be struggling similarly to you, and remind yourself that national prejudice is not something you have to endure on your own. Maybe you even want to connect with more than just your peers in your community, whether that’s an elder family member or an elder in the community. Hear their experiences and broaden your knowledge base of what being Asian in America can be like. See what emotions, knowledge, thoughts, and ideas awaken in you when you broaden your focus from only your experience to the experience of the community you are a part of.
Know There’s Room for All
Some of us may be feeling dissonance ourselves, or see others who may feel like now during Black History Month is not the time to prioritize Asian American experiences. While it’s good to honor other voices, it’s not beneficial for us to do so by silencing our own experiences. No one group in America has a monopoly on racism, and it’s possible for multiple perspectives and experiences to be acknowledged and honored at the same time. Just like honoring Black experiences shouldn’t be limited to one month of the year, honoring one voice does not have to come at the exclusion of another suffering voice. This can be an opportunity to practice solidarity and build a community dedicated to fighting racism, regardless of how that racism is expressed or against whom. If stepped aside to make room for Black voices at the table, it’s okay for you to step toward the table and take a seat, there is room for you.
Engage with Action Steps
Appropriate actions steps will look different for every person. For someone, an action step might be advocating within your community to raise awareness of Asian American hate. Others’ action steps may be gently calling out a colleague when you hear phrases like ‘Kung Fu Virus’ or the ‘Chinese Virus’. Some action steps may be internal action steps, like becoming educated about the history of anti-Asian American narrative in the United States, going back to the Chinese Exclusion Act. You might not feel ready for any action steps for a while, or you might feel ready to dive into community activism. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, identify the action steps that are appropriate and honoring of your current emotional and mental state. If you have experienced anti-Asian hate and want to process it through therapy, please contact us to schedule a phone consultation.