Casual Racism Against South Asians
Over the last year, racism against South Asians has increased exponentially. This has been observed more and more as prominent political figures like Usha Vance and Kamala Harris stepped into the limelight this election season. Harris has been the target of many xenophobic threats online after she announced that she will be running for President. Consequently, South Asians experience casual racism on social media. One prominent example of this is when people on the internet threw a tantrum when they discovered rumors that Avantika Vandanapu, a woman of South Asian diaspora was casted by fans to play Rapunzel in the live action version of the movie Tangled. This outrage might stem from the fact that white is considered the heteronormative. People are not upset when a white person plays the role of a person of color in a movie.
Furthermore, calling haldi doodh, ‘golden milk,’ using dupattas and labeling it ‘Scandinavian,’ and more make the South Asian diaspora targets of appropriation. However, South Asian culture is simultaneously mocked – e.g. making fun of brown girls for using hair oils. There is nothing wrong with non South Asians enjoying traditional practices and foods; however, it is necessary to acknowledge the history behind it, appreciating instead of appropriating.
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