Thoughts: “On Internalized Racism: 4 Lessons I Learned as an Undercover Asian”

I came across this post by Amy Sun on everyday feminism when I first chose this topic and it gave me the inspiration and final push to choose internalized racism as the topic of my blog. What I enjoyed most about her piece was how she discussed internalized racism in such a personal way. Although I did not grow up in a “community where Asians were rare”, many of the issues she brought up in her article resonated with me, especially when she discussed how even as she tried to assimilate into the culture around her, she was constantly reminded of her Asianness. However I choose to define myself, I will always be classified as “Asian” by other people. For years (and even today), I find myself trying very hard to distance myself from being define that way.

I found it especially powerful when she made the confession that she herself is not perfect. It took her a long time to realize how internalized racism has impact her life, and how, even after realizing it, she still lets it dictate her choices at times. It makes me think about how deeply-rooted internalized racism is. It hides itself within, and often passes as insecurity, which makes it difficult to be identified. And once it finally gets identified, it has already become so embedded in our unconscious that it is hard to stop it from influencing our thoughts and actions.

Amy Sun’s struggles of trying to fit in while also being true to herself and how she finally reconciled with the struggle is an empowering read that I highly recommend. Enjoy!