an Asian author was disrespected at a public reading│why it matters, how we (allies) take action

TL;DR

Author Chien Julie Wong shares her experience of facing hate, disrespect, and racism at an event for authors.

Transcript

what up my channel welcome back to another video i'm jesse and you're watching what up y'all this is going to be a discussion video of something that i became aware of this morning i'm not sure when this video is going to be up but something i became aware of because i'm pretty active over on bookstagram i'm not very active on book twitter and book... Read More

Key Insights

• 😀 Authors of color often face racism and ignorance at book events, causing anxiety and frustration.
• 👾 Intersectionality is important to consider in creating inclusive spaces.
• 🫡 Pronouncing names correctly is a matter of respect and equal treatment.
• 👥 Division between marginalized groups only serves to distract from combating the larger issue of systemic discrimination.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do authors of color often have to navigate racism and ignorance at events?

Authors of color often have to worry about racism and ignorant questions at events, adding an extra layer of caution and anxiety to their experience that white authors do not face.

Q: Why is it important to recognize intersectionality in spaces like a women's association event?

Intersectionality acknowledges how various forms of oppression intersect, such as being a person of color and a woman. Authors of color may face compounded racism and sexism in these spaces.

Q: Why is mispronouncing names, even unintentionally, a form of racism?

Mispronouncing names, especially after ample time and resources for preparation, asserts that certain names are the standard, disregarding and silencing the experiences of individuals with non-Western names.

Q: Why is it harmful to pit the struggles of different marginalized groups against each other?

Pitting struggles against each other divides and perpetuates racism. Solidarity and unity are crucial in combating all forms of discrimination faced by marginalized communities.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Author Chien Julie Wong attended an event where she was one of three authors speaking. Despite clear pronunciation guides, her name was repeatedly mispronounced by the MC.

• The introductions for other authors were eloquent and detailed, but Chien's introduction was lacking, reducing her presence to just her book description.

• Chien faced additional challenges during her speech, with servers creating disruption and insensitive comments from attendees.