When I was young, I was a very scrawny Asian kid, very much like the others, I like to eat lots of sweets. I mostly enjoy eating a large amount of chocolate, such as Recesses with their peanut butter filling in the middle, Snickers have delicious roasted almonds in Every bite, Hershey has a milky creamy texture, M&m's entertaining because it has many different colored bite sizes, Twix known for their caramelized taste, Almond joy with coconut flavored filling, and my favorite one of them all Kit Kat with a waffle-like crispy taste. I was an average size kid. I wasn't too fat nor skinny, and I eat as much as I want without gaining any weight because of my high metabolism. One day my mother, who always buys me my chocolates says, "Wow! You …show more content…
got so chubby, maybe you should stop eating chocolate and lose some weight". As a child, I didn't understand what she meant by "losing weight". Until recently I overheard a T.V commercial talking about how to lose weight fast, and they start to publicly humiliate the obese people on television. They even have a reality show called, "The Biggest Loser". The show focuses on overweight and obese participants to attempt to lose weight on television. The more I see the commercials or shows, the more I didn't want to eat my chocolates. As time continued I began to skip out on breakfast and dinner, which leaves me to eat only one meal a day instead of three that I usually eat. I was afraid people at school would make fun of my appearance and that I would get made fun of for being obese. While in school, I began to witness many students were bullied because of their weight, appearances, what they wear, or the way they act. Whether if they were from a poor family or rich family, but if you don't act in a similar way to other students then you will have a miserable time in school. It didn't matter what grade the students were in, but having to watch them get pushed around or made fun of is heartbreaking. Many students pretends that nothing is going on, but I know deep down inside everyone wants to help. I was on the same boat, trying to stand up for them, but was too afraid that I might get put into that position as well. Being treated like an outcast is the worse. In middle school, I was known as the quiet kid; the shy person in class, avoiding mostly everyone that tries to talk to me; being anti-social around others, panicking when I get called on by the teacher, or trembling when I get put into the spotlight. However, I was always concerned about my weight. Every weekday my friends in school would constantly joke around saying, "Hey Fatass!" every time we greet each other. I wasn't offended because they were way bigger than me, but I just didn't want to look fat. I wanted to achieve that perfect body that social media imprinted in my mind. The ideal body was to have a figure exactly like how the Greek's statue were carved, with a lean upper body, the kind with broad shoulders, and perfectly formed abs. I wanted to be well-built and be able to show off my body without having to be afraid of what others think. However, it was difficult obtaining that dream at such a young age. One day my brother invited me to go to the gym with him. Filled with excitement and motivation I got ready in a heartbeat. As we walked into the gym, the first thing I noticed was that everyone was overweight, the atmosphere was very humid, the sound of people's heavy breathing, and the lingering odor of sweat, the gym equipments drenched, making me gagged as I followed my brother down the hall. In that moment I started to avoid going to the gym. In my family, my father, average size, who is a really handsome man, my mother, surprisingly skinny, who is loving and has a really high metabolism, she can quickly finish her meal in a blink of an eye, and my two brothers, who are very fit, and are really into sports, are not overweight.
As for me, I was all of that, but I was really insecure when it came to showing off my body. There was a day where I went to the beach with my friends, as I took off my shirt most of my friends were surprised that I had a little belly sticking out. They proceeded to make fun of me because they always thought I was just a scrawny little Asian kid. One of them even said "Oh my god, Vincent are you pregnant?" I pretended by bursting out with a sarcastic laughter, but hearing that made me even more insecure about my body. For some reason my feelings got really hurt. I have never felt so humiliated in my entire life. As the day continued, I kept my shirt on while all of us went swimming that day. Whenever someone brought up about my bloated belly I just shy away as if I didn't hear what they …show more content…
said. Throughout the years, I knew that I wasn't overweight, but there was something that was bothering and urging me to become skinnier. I began coming up with different shortcuts or methods on how to lose weight. My first method was instead of working out, I started to throw up my meals whenever I felt like I was getting fat because of the meals I ate during that day. The second method was that I would go fast for a couple of days drinking just water and not eat any meals. Eventually, I got sick because I wasn't getting the right malnutrition for my body. I was sent to the hospital barely able to speak. Soon after, I realized that if I accepted my body just how it is then I would be able to eat properly. When I got better I enjoyed my meals without having to worry about getting overweight, but I would still feel guilty that I am eating too much. As I slowly begin fixing my bad eating habits, I started seeing more stereotypical jokes about other races on social media.
On my day of vacation, I had a sleepover at my friend's house. I am so tired, waking up early, the cold breeze rushing into the room as I open the door, seeing my friend’s parents getting ready for work, dozing off, I slowly made my way towards the bathroom to shower, but I turned back and went back to bed. As I woke up in the afternoon, we started to play monopoly with my other friends that came over and they made me become the banker. I asked them out of curiosity, "Why did you guys make me the banker" as I sat down getting ready to play, and one of my friend yelled out, "Because you're Asian and you're good at math!", that was my first time experiencing a stereotype was directly towards me. I was shocked because I never really liked math nor want to solve any of those problems. I insisted on asking him, "What else am I good at then?" which he replies, "You probably know Kung Fu too". From that moment I felt out of place because most of my friends were either Hispanics or white. When I heard them telling me that I started to remember what I saw on social media. The negativity towards other racial groups were really bad in the United
States.
I am an Asian with yellow skin very differ with Staples's skin color, but I still was discrimination by some people surrounding me. I remember the first year I lived in America, I was in Middle School, eighth grade; I never forget the day I get in a school bus, everybody: Black, White, Asian, they placed their backpacks on empty seats, because they did not want me to sit with them. I went through all seats and looked around; I was lucky, there was only one back seat left for me in a corner, but when I stepped close to having a sit, a white young girl said, “This seat is taken.” All of them laughed very l...
Racial stereotypes have become cliché but still hold adverse effects towards the people it targets. Both Adichie and Gay assert the idea that conventionalization still exists in present day by using personal anecdotes to describe their first encounters with racism and by describing different perspectives held against black people. Through this, both authors demonstrate how such labelling creates inequalities across races. Though one can say racism has lessened, it cannot be denied that it is still alive and still
This conversation actually took place during my first semester of college. However, being quite accustomed to the questions that I am frequently asked about the place I call home, this conversation somehow made me more upset than usual. This conversation made me realize just how blind society can be towards other groups in society. Different stereotypes are placed on groups for various reasons-race, sex, occupations, and geographical locations-just to name a few. The last of these four different classifications is the one that distinguishes me from most of society. Growing up in Appalachia has made me a minority (different from the rest of society), and also plagued me with many stereotypes. Everyone in society has heard the stereotypes. However, I would like to focus on the how's and why's of them. How they came to be. Why society does perceive...
I wanted to wear brand clothes/shoes they did, I wanted to do my hair like them, and make good grades like them. I wanted to fit in. My cultural identify took a back seat. But it was not long before I felt black and white did not mix. I must have heard too many comments asking to speak Haitian or I do not look Haitian, but more than that, I am black, so I always had to answer question about my hair or why my nose is big, and that I talked white. This feeling carried on to high school because the questions never went away and the distance between me and them grew larger. There was not much action my family could take for those moments in my life, but shared their encounters or conversations to show me I was not alone in dealing with people of other background. I surrounded myself with less white people and more people of color and today, not much has
One of the most destructive forces that is destroying young black people in America today is the common cultures wicked image of what an realistic black person is supposed to look like and how that person is supposed to act. African Americans have been struggling for equality since the birth of this land, and the war is very strong. Have you ever been in a situation where you were stereotyped against?
Looking back to the first night of class, I distinctly remember being in tears. I was alone, at the front of the room, I let go of my friends’ hands and stepped ahead of my classmates for every statement of describing an advantage or opportunity. It was a game meant to demonstrate our diverse backgrounds, but I was embarrassed and ashamed when I “won” the race. I felt out of place, isolated, and unheard. How was I going to convince my Black professor and my six Black classmates that I was not a racist? More importantly, could I convince myself? Here I am, a privileged, White woman who left the public school setting to teach in an affluent private school where my students are around ninety percent Caucasian. Am I prejudiced? Am I a raci...
To conclude, stereotypes may sometimes appear harmless, but they almost always cause damage of some sort. It can keep a young Latina woman from taking the bus, or humiliate an entire country. It can cause pain, it can cause fights, it can cause wars. It is up to each and every one of us to pay attention to what we are saying, to whom, and to consider the consequences of our actions, and be proud of who you are without lampooning who others are.
The world is composed of millions of people that come from different locations, are part of different races, believe in different religions, and have developed different cultures to those of everyone else. Over the course of human history, the differences that we have developed have played an enormous role in dividing us. Perhaps the chief problem that has plagued society in the past, and continues to do so to this day, is the idea that one’s race is superior to that of others; in other words: racism. Racism has led to the discrimination, oppression, and deaths of countless numbers of people. In the present, racism is often closely associated with stereotypes. In today’s society, being stereotypical often gets you the criticism that “you are being racist.” Racial stereotypes tend to portray their pertaining race in a negative manner which may be why the tow words are frequently interchanged. However, both have very different meanings and should not be confused. Although the tow are separate entities, they do share roots. The lack of knowledge and understanding of a race may lead to one or the other and sometimes both. Although both racism and stereotypes are condemned, there seems to be a more lenient stance on stereotypes. For example the media is constantly reminding us that whites are wealthy, while black and Hispanics are poor, and Asians are highly intelligent and are masters in martial arts.
My skin is white, my eyes are brown, and my hair is dark brown. I am confused with Europeans, such as Italians, Portuguese, or Spanish. As early as the sixth grade, I experienced prejudice indirectly. I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood where I consistently heard racist thoughts about Latinos. Throughout the hallways of my school or outside in the playground, I would hear that Latinos are drug addicts; they don't work; they depend on welfare. I also heard comments, such as Latinos are gang members, Latin mothers are slaves to their husbands, and the only job Latin women can have is working as a maid. Growing up, there were few Latinos in television and Hollywood. Even then, Latin characters were portrayed negatively. They were criminals, maids, gang members, drug addicts, or drug dealers. Presently, a dramatic change has occurred with more Latinos in the media along with different characters. Since Latinos were portrayed negatively in the media, many people internalize this belief bringing forth racism.
This is because after elementary, I moved into an Asian dominated junior high and high school. In this environment, Asian stereotypes were not taken seriously and were more often told as jokes. For example, what do you call a Vietnamese person walking a dog? A vegetarian! (my favorite joke). However, though I got over the stereotypes, my elementary years still haunt me as of today. I am now more socially awkward and uncomfortable when I am the minority or I am around white individuals. It frightens me that when I am around people who aren’t the same color as me because I feel like the judgments and incomplete stories will start to erupt, and that the incomplete stories will lead to the development of stereotypes and thus once again reenact my elementary years. This environment and atmosphere is reenacted every Monday and Wednesday’s in the WMST dialogue, where I am the minority and feelings of anxiety start to come
In my 8th grade year I have been verbally bullied because of my certain appearance and background. This exactly how people distinguished me mushroom style haircut, my skin color is yellow with a tint of brown resemblances to stereotypical Asians, short looking guy, and a bit chubby. I am being mistreated and gradually stereotyped just because of my looks and facial structure that I have inherited from both of my parents, but mostly my father. Certainly, it only took time when I’m being called Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Godzilla, those name calling merely affected me, but the way they had said and expressed it as if they have hatred for the Asian immigrants. I had just about enough I conformed cut off my hair and I spiked it up, tanned so my skin would appear darker, and I started to practice my English speaking so people would not identify me with
The oppression that African American individuals endured for years, is still being practice with racial discrimination and prejudice. One strength of identifying as African American is the increase of belongingness that gave me the ability to share and live amongst individuals with the same physical appearance and in some cases, the same obstacles. However, this was not always the case. Growing into an adult gave me the advantage to travel and meet other African Americans that I believed shared some of the same historical and ethnic background. In this time period I was introduced to what is called within-group differences, which is the differences among the members of a group (Organista, 2010). Wanting to be around individuals that I believed to have a common core with was one of my flaws, but while traveling with individuals that I thought was like me I experienced that I had nothing in common with some of my travel friends. One of my friends stated that we had nothing in common with each other, because of our different social economic status, education and employment. At first I was offended, however, after taking psychology of ethnic groups in the United States there was a sense of understanding that not all individuals that look alike, are alike. This assumption that all groups function
From the day we are born till the day we die, we are put into categories based on our parents and our race. Latinos don’t finish high school and they become gardeners, janitors, and waitresses; white people become politicians and lawyers; Asians become doctors or scientists who discover new cures for diseases; African Americans, they become the next gang member, or just another life lost to gang violence. Many people have come up to my parents and asked if my siblings and I are good at sports. They just automatically assume that because we are of darker skin that the only thing we are good at is sports. Just recently I watched ‘Southside With You’ the movie on how former President Obama met his wife Michelle. In that movie, Michelle said something
Throughout my life I’ve never really witnessed any traumatizing social issues. I live in a community that’s inhabited by people of the same racial and socioeconomic status, so despite being a lower income Hispanic I usually am accepted in my community because my social standing is common in my society. Yet, as I’ve gotten older and have been opened to the injustices of the social world, I’ve noticed some past and current events of discrimination due to my race that I’ve received from others outside my normal social environment. Discrimination in my younger years wasn’t so prominent, but there are some figures in the media currently that have spread hatred towards people of my racial group and those of many others.
Just a few days ago, I found a quiz that helped me determine if I showed any bias towards African Americans. Surprisingly, the results concluded that I viewed African Americans and European Americans in an equal manner, but if I was to take this quiz when I was eight years old the results would have been radically different. Ever since I was a little girl, I always had the impression that African Americans were very dangerous people due to the color of their skin. I came to this theory because when I was in second grade, there was a boy in my neighborhood that didn’t have any respect for his peers or elders. He would tease me, harass me, and he even trespassed on another neighbor’s property. I was scarred by this event in my life, and I rarely viewed African Americans in a positive way. However, this past summer changed my whole entire perspective.