This is freelance writer Suey Park, an advocate for the Asian-American feminist and queer communities.
Last night, she scheduled a Twitter hashtag to open a conversation about Asian-American feminism.
Be warned. Tomorrow morning we will be have a convo about Asian American Feminism with hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick. Spread the word!!!!!!!
Suey Park
@suey_park
Be warned. Tomorrow morning we will be have a convo about Asian American Feminism with hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick. Spread the word!!!!!!!
#NotYourAsianSidekick This is beginning b/c for too long I've complained about not having an AAPI space that represents me.
Suey Park
@suey_park
#NotYourAsianSidekick This is beginning b/c for too long I've complained about not having an AAPI space that represents me.
Nobody will GIVE us a space. We need to MAKE a space to use our voices, build community, and be heard. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Suey Park
@suey_park
Nobody will GIVE us a space. We need to MAKE a space to use our voices, build community, and be heard. #NotYourAsianSidekick
The hashtag immediately caught on. First, to recognize the patriarchy that exists in Asian-American cultures.
3) Our cultures are family centered & makes it difficult to have critical conversations about sexism #NotYourAsianSidekick
Juliet Shen
@Juliet_Shen
3) Our cultures are family centered & makes it difficult to have critical conversations about sexism #NotYourAsianSidekick
3) In AAPI spaces, women have to be SMART and PRETTY to be heard. We are objectified by Asian men and White men. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Suey Park
@suey_park
3) In AAPI spaces, women have to be SMART and PRETTY to be heard. We are objectified by Asian men and White men. #NotYourAsianSidekick
3) Asian men slut shame if Asian women are dating non-Asians. They call us race traitors for dating outside AAPI. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Suey Park
@suey_park
3) Asian men slut shame if Asian women are dating non-Asians. They call us race traitors for dating outside AAPI. #NotYourAsianSidekick
It has also spurred conversations in many different directions, including toward one about white supremacy.
Keeping this hashtag trending so it can keep speaking truth to power, to hetero-patriarchy, to white supremacy. #NotYourAsianSidekick
ridgek
@ridgek_lives
Keeping this hashtag trending so it can keep speaking truth to power, to hetero-patriarchy, to white supremacy. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Hey mainstream white feminism, just in case y'all forgot, #race, #immigration, #class are feminist issues. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Sadia A.
@sadiasmusings
Hey mainstream white feminism, just in case y'all forgot, #race, #immigration, #class are feminist issues. #NotYourAsianSidekick
I once told off a white classmate in high school that Asian people are no longer referred to as "oriental." #NotYourAsianSidekick
Jazzy Crayon
@jazzycrayon
I once told off a white classmate in high school that Asian people are no longer referred to as "oriental." #NotYourAsianSidekick
And difficulty with confronting mental illnesses in Asian households.
I am not allowed to express the mental illnesses I have struggled to cope with for years #NotYourAsianSidekick
Sook Min
@doloresonthedot
I am not allowed to express the mental illnesses I have struggled to cope with for years #NotYourAsianSidekick
Body image is important b/c I had an eating disorder for a long time due to strict expectations of Americans &Koreans. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Suey Park
@suey_park
Body image is important b/c I had an eating disorder for a long time due to strict expectations of Americans &Koreans. #NotYourAsianSidekick
When I want to lose lbs not for me but bc my mental health can't take the fatphobia, esp. in API spaces, it's an issue.#NotYourAsianSidekick
Nicole Cunanan
@Nicole_Cunanan1
When I want to lose lbs not for me but bc my mental health can't take the fatphobia, esp. in API spaces, it's an issue.#NotYourAsianSidekick
And the underrepresentation of Asian-Americans in media.
#NotYourAsianSidekick because I hope to one day see better representation of AAPIs in the media, government and beyond.
Winnie Ye
@whatsnextwinnie
#NotYourAsianSidekick because I hope to one day see better representation of AAPIs in the media, government and beyond.
Asian representation in the mass media needs to catch up to the mass audiences of Asian personalities on YouTube #NotYourAsianSideKick
Mike Kwan
@mikekwan
Asian representation in the mass media needs to catch up to the mass audiences of Asian personalities on YouTube #NotYourAsianSideKick
The way white-dominated media and pop culture still is. Something we whites need to address, instead of handwaving. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Peter
@NewEnglandite
The way white-dominated media and pop culture still is. Something we whites need to address, instead of handwaving. #NotYourAsianSidekick
The last time Asian women where represented in film, in all their complexities: "The Joy Luck Club." 20 years ago. #NotYourAsianSidekick
Jose Antonio Vargas
@joseiswriting
The last time Asian women where represented in film, in all their complexities: "The Joy Luck Club." 20 years ago. #NotYourAsianSidekick
And general grievances with everyday stereotypes.
High grades earned by Asian-Am students seen as "normal" rather than result of hard work #NotYourAsianSidekick http://t.co/qBrxiexdWx
YingYing Shang
@yingyingsmiles
High grades earned by Asian-Am students seen as "normal" rather than result of hard work #NotYourAsianSidekick http://t.co/qBrxiexdWx
Not all #indians are doctors or engineers. And the rest of us do not answer phones for a living. #NotYourAsianSidekick
ruthie | johnson
@aquietstrength
Not all #indians are doctors or engineers. And the rest of us do not answer phones for a living. #NotYourAsianSidekick
"Do you know Korean?" "No, I speak Japanese." "they're pretty similar, right?" THEY ARE LITERALLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. #NotYourAsianSidekick
con
@soggyramen
"Do you know Korean?" "No, I speak Japanese." "they're pretty similar, right?" THEY ARE LITERALLY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. #NotYourAsianSidekick
such a powerful picture #NotYourAsianSidekick
cal
@bootytbh
such a powerful picture #NotYourAsianSidekick
But as #NotYourAsianSidekick became a worldwide trending topic, some people took issue with the hashtag.
@AndreaGarVar I appreciate that this issue is being raised, but there's a lot of race-blaming here. I don't agree with all of it.
Justin Chan
@JChan1109
@AndreaGarVar I appreciate that this issue is being raised, but there's a lot of race-blaming here. I don't agree with all of it.
.@JChan1109 Yes, lots of interesting things about the hashtag—obviously, since ANYONE can use it, there's not one cohesive message
Andrea Garc໚-Vargas
@AndreaGarVar
.@JChan1109 Yes, lots of interesting things about the hashtag—obviously, since ANYONE can use it, there's not one cohesive message
Friendly reminder that while the popularity of #NotYourAsianSidekick is great, it originated as talk on Asian American FEMINISM. #dontderail
Juliet Shen
@Juliet_Shen
Friendly reminder that while the popularity of #NotYourAsianSidekick is great, it originated as talk on Asian American FEMINISM. #dontderail
Park told BuzzFeed via email:
"In Asian American spaces, particularly in the non-profit sector, I have been disappointed by the narrow ways in which we define Asian American and who we leave behind by way of those narrow definitions. #NotYourAsianSidekick is a new space, in which voices of those of us marginalized and silenced within Asian American circles get to tell our stories...
My dear friends and I have had growing critiques of how patriarchy in Asian American spaces hurts, while white feminism leaves much to be desired, so we created this space instead. We talked about queerness, disability, immigration, multiracial/biracial issues, compulsory coalitions, challenging anti-blackness, mental health, body image, and all things feminism. It was all of the things we were told to never talk about."