When my mother drives, she wears a plastic visor that juts out like the back of Darth Vader's helmet. Her friends wear gloves that unravel to the elbow and giant white windbreakers in 80-degree weather. My sister used to tell me how jealous she was when I came home, scorched brown from hours of basketball in my friends' driveways, and my parents would ask her: "Why would you want to get any darker? You'd look like a black girl."
This story made me think of those moments. In short: Lou Jing is a 20-year-old Shanghainese woman and the daughter of a Chinese mother and a black father. A contestant on an American Idol-esque show in China (Go! Oriental Angel), she met an ugly, ugly reaction from Chinese viewers commenting on websites dedicated to the show. I’ve never heard anything in my own community nearly as vitriolic as those online statements, but it isn’t difficult to imagine that they sprout from the same seed as the offhand racism in, say, calling a black woman “chocolate-colored” on national television. And, growing up, I did hear that kind of careless, demeaning remark frequently.
I’m not the only one perturbed, but I am one of the few interested in speaking from a somewhat even-handed perspective. Curiously, coverage of the story has often been structured around the juxtaposition of Lou Jing with Barack Obama, the implication being that racism, in all its “no coloreds allowed” ignominy, has vanished from the American public dialogue -- but plagues an ignorant Chinese populace still. Consider this headline, for instance.
This blog has addressed this issue -- the Orientalization of racism -- before. Of course, pretending that the United States has come no further than China (or South Korea) masks both deep-seated problems that do need to be addressed by the Chinese (and South Koreans), and the very real progress that the United States has made in the last handful of decades.
But we should be wary of any story that tells us how China’s true, bigoted character revealed itself in the furor surrounding Lou Jing. What that line reveals is an inability to conceptually divorce a nation from its fringe. What, for example, do the plethora of racist comments on this site tell us about the whole of American citizens?
It’s easy to be an offensive, racist idiot on the Internet. It’s harder to be one in real life, where Lou Jing and other commentators have argued that Shanghai is increasingly progressive and accepting of those who look different.
It’s important to address bigotry regardless of where we find it. But casting a snide gaze toward the disgusting comments posted online regarding Lou Jing is more than a bit hypocritical, especially with President Obama’s reception as ostensibly a symbol of our enlightened approach to race. And in a way, China, by portraying sympathetically a member of an ethnic minority on a major television show and addressing the racism directed towards her in public dialogue, is making the kind of progress Asian Americans continue to clamor for on this end of the Pacific.
Posted by Winston at November 13, 2009 2:56 AM
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good point, winston. the part of the article that surprised me the most was that lou jing hadn't ever realized she was different until she appeared on the show at the age of 20. what kind of multicultural paradise must shanghai be for that to happen?
i'm exaggerating, of course, but compare her experience to ours: how many of us didn't know we were different until we went on national television at the age of 20?
thanks for this entry. i have trouble making sense of everyone wants to condemn all of china for the unfair treatment this young woman has faced, but continue to believe racism in this country only happens every now and then.
there is a lot to talk about in this story - and it should be talked about, not thrown around without consideration for actual opportunity for discussion and critical analysis of the situation(s).
Right -- unfortunately, the American dialogue on race is still stuck in "I don't care if you're white, black, or purple"-platitude gear.
From reading about her background, it appears a large part of this isn't as much about race, as it is that Lou Jing is the product of a married Chinese woman who had an affair with a guy who then fled the country. The mother hid the truth through pregnancy, until it was blatantly obvious to the husband that it wasn't his.
The spin off of those linked articles is ridiculous though. It's unfortunately common for Western media to pick and choose facts or events, to fuel the self-serving and smug attitude we like to have when it comes to people/events outside our borders.
One could EASILY make up an article about rampant American racism, xenophobia, prejudice, and discrimination and link to various Stormfront articles and comments. You don't really see this though, in East Asian newspapers, even though they could if they did what US media does.
There is racism in america against chinese people. Jews blacks, poor whites. Put it this way, if your race is the ruling class your are given the green light.White china is the ruling class. All 1.4 billion of them.Mostly poor and whipped by their communist rulers.This is no big deal. Let them hate.
There is even a class of mixed blacks in america that hate dark skinned blacks. This is old news. But hey, did that chinese girl's mama not get some big black dick! Hell yeah! And she'll never see a dick the same way.
You want racism in America...let an Asian try dating a white southern girl...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091021182455AAZEcnJ
or find out what happens when a sixth generation Asian American lady or girl shows up to sing country music at the Grand Ole Opry!
thanks for this article. when i'm in or out of china i often overreact about chinese social/cultural absurdities, when it is important to recognize that all cultures are largely absurd.
i like to think that the crazy americans have exposed themselves after the election of obama, screaming at town hall meetings, but that once they've gone hoarse, a new generation will have taken their place. i hope china learns faster that the US, and i believe it is, oddly enough. i'm learning to painfully uproot my american logic.
"You don't really see this though, in East Asian newspapers"
Once you have higher african populations and accompanying increases in crime you will get the same kind of disgruntled comments.
The ignorance of the divergent histories of black Americans and contemporary African migrants to China implicit in that comment is astounding. The initial rise of "african populations" in the United States occurred through the brutal, deplorable traffic of human beings. Educate yourself.
"Once you have higher african populations and accompanying increases in crime you will get the same kind of disgruntled comments."
Here in Singapore, the criminals were Chinese gangs until Lee Kuan Yew hanged them one by one in the 1970s. So, let us not kid ourselves into thinking that only Africans commit crimes. However, one thing I must say..Jim Crow, Apartheid, Segregation, official ban on interracial marriages never happened in Asia...only whites can perfect such a system and the Chinese or any other Asian would not be able to develop and perfect a system such as Apartheid even if they had white advisors. History of apartheid in South Africa tells us that the level of racism in the blood of Chinese will never match the level of racism in the blood of whites.
I think k she is beautiful, but this contest did not maximize on it. I read a recent article concerinig this incident and Lou Jing response was, She wants to move to America, because she feel as if she is no longer Chinese. I think the American model agencies can capitalize off this if they give her a chance.
Famous beuatiful blasians models in that has had success in America. She can make it over here.
Denyce Lawton
http://i1.tinypic.com/sf8psj.jpg
Amierie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amerie,_Red_Dress_Collection_2006.jpg
Lisa Wu Hartwell
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34978644@N08/3239257113/
Is there racism in China? Of course there is. Here is evidence: http://www.anesl.com/schools/view.asp?id=897
(For those who can't search):
"Project of Global Access
At present, we need Language foreign teachers for the teaching centers in Chengdu, Xinjiang, Hefei and Zhengzhou. Additional, we need one science teacher which can teach math, science and computer class in each teaching center in Beijing, Chengdu and Suzhou.
The number of students in every teaching center will not more than 25. All the students are senior high school students, about 16-18 years old.
Requirements of foreign teachers: Native English speaker, white people, BA or MA, relevant teaching experience. TEFL certificate preferred."
The question should not be whether there is racism in China, but rather, why China allows such open discrimination.
As far as I can tell, there is no equivalent website like Stormfront like there is in America. One could easily write an article about American racism, supremacism, by pointing to Stormfront posts. This website disturbingly brags to having 150,000 registered members.
Jacques said: [Requirements of foreign teachers: Native English speaker, white people, BA or MA, relevant teaching experience. TEFL certificate preferred." The question should not be whether there is racism in China, but rather, why China allows such open discrimination.]
That advertisement sounds so similar to almost EVERY American Hollywood casting advertisement. White actors only, please.
What was so white about the advertisement, it said Americans can apply, it didnt limit itself to White Americans only as one of the qualifications
"Relax", I believe Jacques was saying that it was self-racist that they were only looking for White teachers. I could be wrong though, who knows what Jacque is thinking.
Its unfortunate that this beautiful Lou Jing found herself in this situation out of no fault of her own.
As someone living in China for a long time and as a black man.Iv had first hand experience of Chinese DISCRIMINATION and also ACCEPTANCE.
I think it all depends on how one presents himself or herself and also the people one meet at any given time and place.
A lot of Chinese are curious about foreigners and people that have different racial background from them and some are also very IGNORANT about how to deal with situations they have never seen or experienced before.
Some just act based on the information their friends give to them or what their parents and relations tell them to do whenever they meet foreigners(dependency on 2nd hand information)
Many china family tends to show this good traditional values of incorruptibility,wholeness and face saving phenomena which they may find very difficult to accept considering Lou Jing parental heritage(Married woman sleeping with a black man to make a baby while still married)To some,its an insult to family values and to others unacceptable to be paraded around on TV shows.
Shanghai is a mega city of above 20mil people with multinational influence.Im sure Lou Jing will have absolutely no problem living a normal life and mixing up with whatever type of friends she wants to hang out with.
Racism is a disease that we all must try to eradicate,but we must understand that its goes well with two with same mother.Just like same birds flocks together.Kind of natural sometimes.
I find it interesting that there would even be any question whether the Chinese can be racist. Of course they can and are! And so are pretty much most groups if you go far enough to when resources were not plentiful--for survival we define insiders and outsiders and find the criteria almost as an after fact. The Chinese, Koreans and Japanese all have had consistent histories of discrimination, of systematic and institutional devaluing of certain groups vs others (ie including of each other). I think it is not an uncommon pattern elsewhere. But these 3 Asian nation powers are coming into multiculturality relatively late as they claim a seat in the international community. But frankly, look at South Africa's recent difficulty in protecting poor immigrants from neighboring nations... when there is scarcity, it is difficult to stay generous, both materially and in spirit. It takes generations of living and interacting with each other and having relatively equal opportunities for reflexes to not center around ethnicity.
As for Lou Jing, I find her very attractive, a bit sheltered, and an out of tune singer (scour Youtube). An interesting topic!
I think Lou Jing is beautiful! It doesn't surprise me that China's racists. So are American's. America will never be free from racism. Racism will ALWAYS exists. However, I do see a lot of improvements b/c of Obama. Every country and race can be prejudice. So nothing surprises me.
Dudes, remember, only few Chinese wrote bad things about her and a LOT more of Chinese actually voted for her. Look at the 2008 election in Alabama. How many white people voted for Obama?
First this is a young woman that did not ask to be born to parents from different races. Second it should not matter, I wonder who among us can say that they were the product of a perfect union?? Third, she is an incredibly beautiful young lady!!!
Give her a break and let her enjoy her God given right to breathe the same air we ALL breathe. What a bunch of ignorant hippocratic fools we are when we think one race is better than another. We really need to evolve, as I wish I could see what we ALL look like 300 years from now. God, Allah, Jehovah, Yaway is good!!!
Since when does the fact of being a native to language translate in competency or a fluency, let alone the requirement to be white? doesn't education ought to be the civil religion of society or de-facto requirement to teach? isn't the primary purpose of education is character-building. Intent on the cultivation of the full person, schools should emphasize ethical as well as cognitive intelligence, not Native language,or the fact of being white. Schools should teach the art of accumulating "social capital" through communication. In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, schooling must be congenial to the development of cultural competence and appreciation of spiritual values.
If you look around you will not all white are educated, nor all black or Chinese ignorant. I know though somewhere something went wrong, and it's simply a self-satisfied ignorance of those who write this adds or requirements. Remember there were times, when Chinese or other non-Western intellectuals who did not speak or read Western languages were considered illiterate and ignorant, while Western "scholars", including the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, who did not speak or read Chinese or other non-Western languages have written erudite books on Chinese and other non-Western culture.As for the Innocent Lou Jing it's unfortunate that she is famed for all the wrong reasons and become a culprit to the long path of human destiny, the row over race is a deeply rooted evil within us all humans.
Looking different, she's obviously going elicit more attention, that's not a surprise. Have any race be born and raised in a different country, the reaction will be the same (America excluded because it is too integrated.)
Doesn't calling an entire nation bigoted show something about you? These were a few bad apples that enjoy to speak their foul comments over the Internet; try taking a stroll through American forums on all issues, and I'm sure you'll find these exact comments tenfold and committed by all races. The audience loved her, and the hosts of the show could not be more accepting. Watch yourself before you start generalizing like this, all you end up doing is making yourself a racist.
I can't believe how chinese people could be disgusting with this kind of prejudice. I saw Lou Jing for the first time on a TV channel here in Brazil, it's so sad, she's looking so pretty, much more than the others chinese women, and her voice is amazing, I'm her new fan. In every place of the world we have racism, but it's terrible. I was born in Brazil, from half Hungarian and half Brazilian family, and as brazilan of course I'm mixed with black too, perhaps the color of my skin is white, I have african blood and when someone ask me how if I consider myself as white, my response is that I'm not white, I'm multicouloured and I'm very proud to be who I am. The concept of "human races" does not exist, we are only one race, the Human. Fuck racist chinese people and their medieval opinion, LOU JING IS A STAR...
Julio, I don't think your assessment is fair. I'm a man that has over 50 percent of black blood as well. Ive been to China and I realized the people there have their own opinion like everyone else. Such broad generizations is not fair. Don't judge the whole country at the expense of a few
well written article, winston. thank you for pointing out the misguided self-righteous tone of the western coverage of this story, as if no one in US is racist anymore now that Obama is president. what i think is really the big issue here is that when you have anyone who puts themselves out in the public, you will have some sorry individual who wants to go online and rag on this person anonymously. plenty of chinese people go online and rip on full-chinese celebrities. (why won't western media would do a story about that?) so you think a biracial reality show contestant would somehow be off limits? no way!
what is really sad is how the western news outlets are spinning this into something that it's not, which is that all chinese people are all racist because this biracial girl didn't win. if that was really the case, lou jing wouldn't have gotten as far as she did as a finalist. she had a lot of chinese people rooting for her.
so now you have more sorry people who are going online to make ignorant comments about chinese people, oblivious to the fact that plenty of
chinese public figures and media commentators defended lou jing and condemned the racism she encountered. so the people who are ripping on chinese people and china and making racist comments are showing that they are no better than the few individuals who wrote the mean comments about lou jing.
for what it's worth, i think lou jing is a beautiful girl and i wish her well. it certainly couldn't be easy to read some of the mean-spirited comments a few people had written about her. but to think that she didn't realize that she was different until now also shows that shanghai had treated her pretty well during her chinese upbringing. i certainly hope this experience won't make her think any less of her chinese heritage as there are lots of chinese folk out there like myself who are cheering her on.
Great point C C, I agree. What is Americas obsession with black people? If you are black, or half black the media is all over it. If you are a minority that non black you may get looked over. I didn't mean this in a bad way people
Yeah , we should not generate a racist idea about Asians . China is the racist country I have ever seen , that's because the HEAVY patriotic education they receive in schools (as a communist country ) , maybe led them to misunderstand the real meaning of Patriotism .
Koreans really hate Chinese for no reasons I do not know why!
In the past Most of the Chinese women want to date White , but now they specify " white English native speaker country"..