Angsty WoC

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" My dear, who told you your skin wasn't beautiful. You are the colour of the earth and flowers can only grow in deep, rich soil," - D. Kaur

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Growing up as an asian wasn't easy.

Especially as an asian in a country where I had no knowledge about. In fact, I used to regret ever growing up in England due to the harsh comments I received from strangers and family friends. Ever since I was young, I was pressured to learn both English and Nepalese in order to stop those harsh comments from getting any worse. The only countries the people around me seemed to know about was Japan and China so it often felt as if my identity was unknown or invalid to those close to me.

As a child, being good at studying was something everyone expected me to do. There were stereotypes about how we asians are quiet and study 24/7 in order to become a doctor or teacher. So when 5 year old me never spoke a word and was passing class with good job stickers and stamps, it gave people a name to fit to those stereotypes. They seemed so surprised when I spoke loudly around my friends and started playing sports. Even when I taught myself skills that could benefit me in my future, it was because I was asian and not hardworking. Having the title of a doctor or teacher seemed necessary for me because meeting those expectations meant I was studious. For me, it meant hardworking people = doctor/ teacher and if I didn't become one of those I had disappointed my family.

The media didn't help much. I had no asian idols to look up to apart from Jackie Chan. The only time I saw Asia in the media was when a natural disaster had struck a country and companies and schools all around the world were raising money to support any countries that needed it.

Even though it wasn't my country that was struck, I still received sympathetic looks from those who couldn't name another asian country apart from China or Japan. The media was so biased towards white people that I thought it was only white people who were pretty or talented, so when I got introduced to a korean girl group called Girls Generation, I was so delighted to see asian women in the industry with such popularity. They looked exactly like how I looked and suddenly all those slit eyes insults became compliments and I felt like I didn't need to be ashamed of my looks anymore. I explored the korean industry more and was inspired by how they held pride in their country and who they were. Â

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In class, I became the only asian girl in my class. I couldn't fit in with the other asian boys. Even though we both came from the same continent, we didn't share the same problems. For girls, we were expected to marry, have our husbands kids and then stay at home to feed our family while the men went out to work. Since I was a girl, I never got a chance to stay back after school for any clubs unless I was with my sister, even though my house was only 2 minutes away from school. When questioning my mother about this, she simply sighed and replied “it’s not safe for girls to be out late” I was taught that us girls should rely on boys to protect us.

Growing up now, I didn’t need boys to protect me, I needed to protect myself. From stranger who thought they knew me more than myself, from the harsh insults and racist remarks, from the stereotypes that made me feel as if I wasn't human, from those judgemental stares from the older generation when I spoke loudly or laughed in public, from the biased media, and most of all, from myself and my hatred towards myself and my country.

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Learn ​the difference. ​Know​ the difference.

By Shisam Gurung

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Honestly being a Muslim woman is hard in this society, not because you have to cover up on the hot summer days or you have to fast for longer hours. It's hard because of what the majority of society think about Muslims. There is a lot of expectation of being a good Muslim but what exactly is a good Muslim woman? Is it a girl who covers up and wears the veil or is it a girl who believes in Allah and his messengers?

No one​ can tell you if you're a good or bad Muslim as they have no right. Only Allah can judge if you're good or not but many Muslims interpret things differently, some may think one thing is haram (forbidden) and others may think it's makruh (disliked). So being judged in the Muslim community is something women often have to deal with.

I, myself, a Muslim woman, constantly dealing with judgment by family and even by people I barely know. A lot of Muslims always confuse religion with culture which is unfortunate as then society will mix those things up too.

I have vibrantly dyed my hair and believe me I've been lectured a numerous amount of times of how haram it is but I have done my research before hand and I know it's not haram. The reason why I got judged, is because people may believe I am going against the normality of Muslim girls as usually vibrant dyed hair represents rebellion but in this day-and-age dyed hair is just expressing your personality.

I also wear the hijab so many people think I'm oppressed and believe I've been forced to wear the hijab but honestly, I chose this and points them out for wearing a niqab or calls them a terrorist.

I'm so proud to wear the hijab. It shows that I am a believer of God and I identify as a Muslim woman. I’ve never felt ashamed for -

Wearing the hijab because why should I? With wearing the hijab you have a great sense of belonging and community but with all these good things; there are bad things such as constantly being questioned, for instance; are you part of the ISIS and always justifying Islam as it has nothing to do with the actions of the ISIS. When ISIS attacks happen, it is scary and upsetting but then Muslims have an extra fear that they're going to get attacked like when the Paris attack happened, many innocent Muslims were attacked as people were angry and thought Muslims did this but ISIS members are not Muslims, they may say they're killing people in the name of God but Islam is a religion of peace. It's just common sense that ISIS doesn’t follow Islamic beliefs because why would religious people murder God's innocent creations? There's a quote in the holy Quran which is "...whoever kills a person (unjustly), it is as though he has killed all mankind..." So when innocent Muslims are attacked because of their religion it's just hypocritical and upsetting.

My mother actually stopped wearing the niqab because her sister in laws told her that Muslim women in England were getting attacked just because they wore the niqab. When I found out about this I was disgusted because my mother was in fear when finding this out and she was so grateful she hadn't been attacked yet.

It ​disgusted​ me because why should she have been grateful that she hasn't been attacked yet? Like being attacked is a norm for Muslim women? No one should feel grateful they haven't been targeted for a hate crime. What type of society do we live in if people walk in fear, praying no one calls them a terrorist and should go back to their own country?

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With me being a Bengali Muslim living in the western world, I get to hear both sides of the story and see things that aren't shown on western news so you could say I have a lot of knowledge about the ‘hidden world.' Issues such as Kashmir or the ongoing problems in Palestine are barely shown on big news channels. You would think in 2016 everyone would learn how to accept and get along with others but racism and inequality still exist in today’s world and honestly I don’t know if this will ever stop.

By Aneeka Choudhry

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MUSLIM SOLIDARITY IS SO IMPORTANT.

“ALONE WE DO SO LITTLE; TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH”

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Psychologists almost unanimously agree that the question of identity is one that is crucial to understanding the human experience.

They also agree that your teenage years are kind of a crisis of identity. All sorts of things fall in together to create some kind of answer; where you were born, who your friends are, the house you grew up in, the music you listen to etc etc. These factors however, are somewhat incremental, the real test of identity, the real way the external world seeks to define us, is through far more controversial and stark terms.

Race. Class. Gender. Sexuality. Black and white and little tick boxes when you fill out countless clinical forms.

To see the world from a lense that is outside the established norm of identity, the message is quite simple - you don’t fit, you are other. It’s bad enough when one of these aspects fall outside the remits of entrenched values, but to experience any cross section of oppression throws you into a different sphere entirely. The approved narrative states that you are one or other; it’s easier for the powers that be to compartmentalise and pretend that these insidious structures of their creation don’t interact - racism and gender are completely separate issues .So where does that leave us? We diasporic girls with double to burden to bear and half the help. Belittled for being teenage girls - silly, naive, and with no knowledge of the “real world” - our reality is a cross road..

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What do the girls with naievity and no nativity, forever out of place, and forever being asked “no, where are you ​really from?”, do for an identity. Are you British or are you not? When you watch the olympics do you swell with pride when the flag is hoisted and you hear “God Save the Queen”, like the ones who demanded that immigrants assimilate.

I personally can’t answer these questions. How am I supposed to be patriotic when “God Save the King” was the anthem of colonisation and sovereignty over my ancestors, over my motherland. That statement itself throws up questions, is India really my motherland if I was born in a rainy hospital in Reading, England? “British by birth but Indian by blood” is what my parents used to tell me, but how do you reconcile the two? How do ​you brains, sinew and bounding heart - combine all these opposing factors.

The quest for an identity has been the crux of the teenage experience since being a teenager was a ​thing. But all the John Hughes movies in the world don’t compare to what it feels like to not know one of the most fundamental features of identity - where you come from. To be forced to assimilate and anglicise whilst clinging with ever-weaker childish hands to your ethnicity, and then to fuse the two is about as futile as it seems - we are all fighting civil wars in our own heads.

I don’t need to tell you that the world will qualify you based on impersonal aspects, most of the time without any consideration for the pain behind the label. You can only really know yourself in retrospect, so the challenge is to forget it and look forward. Know who you want to be and strive for it. In the end entrenched powers won’t be able to hold you down forever. Work and bleed and sweat for what you want, and your identity will be your achievements and no one can look at you and claim to dispute your own damn identity.

By Apoorva Sriram

“Know from whence you came”, and know where you intend to go. Because ultimately, no one knows who you are, they can’t get inside your head, and they can’t know you in and of yourself. Identity is something that is impossible to quantify, or even identify in itself.

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Angsty WoC contributors Zuzanna Kepa and Caitlyn Murray answer a few questions about being part of the LGBTQ+ community: What’s your name and tell us a little bit about yourself:​ ​I’m Zuzanna and I’m honestly not that interesting however a few of my interests/passions are; animal rights, veganism, art and music.

AW: What do you identify as and how did you know?​: Z: Queer? Sexuality is fluid and I’m not desperate for a label.

Perhaps I’m somewhere on the bi spectrum. I like using ‘gay’ because the fact that I’m attracted to girls in every way is something I can't deny. Long story short. Going into secondary school, I began to meet gay people my age and I remember being so interested for some reason. Now I know what that reason was. Later on, I developed girl crushes and feelings for girls - the kind of feelings my straight girl friends had for boys. Therefore I began to question myself. I realised that the idea of being with a girl made me feel everything.

Coming to the realisation at first was scary, but it did feel good.

Girls were the ones I found myself fantasizing about all the time.

AW: When you were growing up, do you recall hearing stories or jokes about being part of the LGBTQ+ community?: Z: I’m not sure about stories or jokes but as a kid, I know I had a very fixed idea of what a gay man or lesbian was. They weren't really spoken of, kind of as if those people were ‘different’ and I was to be separate from what they were (I come from a traditional background). I never knew that there was an LGBTQ+ community till I got much older.

AW:Any advice you’d give to young teens who might be questioning their sexuality?:​ ​Z: Don't freak out and go with the flow.

You have your whole life to explore and find yourself, that's what it's all about. A label isn't 100% necessary right away. Do exactly what feels right to you is my tip. Know that you're not alone as well - that's such a clique thing to tell you but it's something you should remember if you ever feel down about it.

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AW:What’s your name and tell us a little bit about yourself:

I think that the younger generation are opening up to the LGBT+ community a lot more but the C: I’m Caitlyn, my main passions older generation not so much. That are fashion, music and philosophy. means that a lot of parents don’t even consider the possibility of AW: Is there a label you conform to, or do you float around on the their child being gay. I think that our society has become so spectrum ? much more accepting but it has not C: I don’t really like to label progressed as much as it should myself but I definitely like our generation should be aiming girls. However, I’m aware that for a world where we don’t have to that could change in the future come out if we don’t like the and I am okay with that. opposite sex.

AW:Do you feel your essential identity is based on your sexual orientation: C: Not really. I think that it may seem to others that being gay is something that establishes who you are but it’s never really seemed that way to me. Personally, I believe that I am more than my sexuality. I mean, liking girls is part of who I am but it doesn't define me.

AW: What do you think are some challenges facing gay teens in today’s society?: C: I think one of the main issues is that many still don’t agree with others being gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, etc and when someone you love is one of those people, it can make you feel isolated and ashamed.

AW :What advice do you have for any questioning themselves ?

C: I think the best advice I could give is to not worry about your sexuality. The thought of not being straight can be scary because it’s new but trust me, who you love isn’t what matters. I like the quote ‘ those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind ‘ because it shows that people who really love you will love you no matter what. Just have fun with figuring it out, explore your sexuality and remember that you never have to label it unless you want to.

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Meeting her altered the suffering course through which my universe had been forced upon.

Discovering her was like floating through a navy blue Mediterranean ocean at midnight: with no pink to be found in plain sight, but clearly hidden underneath its depth.

Understanding her felt like meeting a kindred soul amongst a crowd of faceless bodies, all with the color of grey. Her colours were enough, they would remain infinitely enough.

She could not see. She was blind to her own garden, but at the same time acutely aware of it.

Winter had taken too long to disappear, and I desired for her to live through a beautiful spring.

I wanted her to feel the gentle touch of the sun on her skin. I wanted her to feel a breeze warm enough for her bones to stop shivering. I wanted her to run through a field filled with roses, only to perceive how they would be - and if it was up to me, would never cease being - thornless

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The farewell was tragic. Endings were never truly beautiful. They were only ever filled with a nostalgia that threatened to ultimately tear your heart into shreds.

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Everything changed when it stopped raining. Only one of us could see the light Were we ever in love? I can't say for sure. What I can say is: I loved you without knowing the sky had any limits.

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20-40% of homeless youth are LGBT+.

Top and bottom surgery together can cost up to $50,000.

41% of transgender people attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime.

That's the reality of being transgender. It's not (just) pretty boys in flower crowns, or the strong, empowering trans women you see on TV. It's certainly not telling the word you're actually female on Tuesday, and having hormones, surgery and your family's acceptance by Saturday, as Caitlyn Jenner made it seem. It's not something to idolise, fetishise or wish for. For the last time, BEING TRANS IS NOT A CHOICE. It's a mental and physical battle, something that can break both people and bank accounts, and something that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.

And although the existence of transgender individuals is slowly coming to light, and more of the world is starting to support us, transphobia and transgender hate crimes are still a rising issue. We are grouped into the label "LGBT", however when people talk about LGBT+ issues, trans people are left out entirely. Within the community, we're fighting among ourselves, trans people that don't live up to the "correct" gender roles being belittled by the ones who do, and non binary people still not getting the recognition and respect that they deserve. Needless to say, trans people have got the bad end of the stick, and for what? Being themselves?

So, for all possible trans youth out there that have just read all these negatives and felt their heart sink, I'm going to tell you that there is a good side to being transgender. Really. It's something to be proud of. If you're trans it means you're strong and brave, because this road isn't easy. And as Laverne Cox says, #TransIsBeautiful. We're great people. We learn a lot from transitioning. And we get to discover ourselves in ways that others don't. Besides, I look 10 times better with short hair, which I never would have found out if I was cis. There's perks.

To anyone out there like me, a young transgender individual, I want to say: keep going. Strive towards your goals.

Find other trans friends if you can, through support groups or the internet, knowing someone else that's on the same journey helps. Look after yourself.

To everyone else: you can help us.

Befriend us. Stick up for us. Offer to go with us to the bathroom of our choice. Let us use your credit cards to buy things we may need online, such as binders and packers.

And remember, in the USA a transgender person has a 1 in 12 chance of being literally murdered. And 75% of trans people killed are people of colour. So make sure to think about that next time you start crying over cisphobia or reverse racism​.

By Oliver James​ McLaughlin

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M O R E // Empowerment, is a concept that is disappointingly foreign to many young adults. How can one be so content in a society whose essence thrived on depreciation and materialistic gain?

Why is this idea of Self Love so difficult for us individuals who have souls of golden and a garden as a mind?

Truly and utterly, I believe the sole way one can achieve this perceived Herculean task, is realising one’s worth. To embrace each and every flaw, as it comes. Hemingway once wrote, a soul with cracks, merely allows all the more light to enter. Treat your soul the same way.

Imperfections are that of nature. They intrigue and they enrapture. From ancient Greeks celebrating the female body as divine, know, you ARE divine. The way your jewelled eyes light up with every new book, or the hazy dreamy hair swept look after waking up from a nap.

Celebrating one’s worth, you see, is an imperative step. Laugh, dance, and sing, for you have air in your lungs, and a voice that can scream up to the mountains. From skin colours of honey or bronze, to the more emotional aspects: too often, one particular look is blown up and worshipped by the big media. And not to say this idealistic image is not beautiful, but it most certainly doesn’t do anything to promote diversity. Different shade, shapes, and sizes.

Looks and later on, will result in girls waking up, and realising, “Hey, my difference is my determination.”

So truly, love and adore yourself. Know the difference between having assets, and having gifts. You are on this Earth, to grow and blossom into the most beautiful flower you can be.

You don’t owe your talents nor qualities to anyone but yourself. And much like the ground you stand on, you ​can persevere through the harshest and darkest days to grow, green and lush. Steadfast, you will prosper. Remember, a garden is most beautiful with variety, different flora, and so, love yourself, and love variety. Around you, see the beauty of different religions, races, and views. Embrace them, and learn. Difference ​is your determination, and by realising that you have dreams to accomplish, and a world to conquer, you thus, can

become ​more.

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life's a funny fickle thing. & those who cannot see the humour in it will not & cannot see the complexity. cry your heart out, laugh till the sun rises again. our hearts are bold metal, and our warm eyes can smoulder. steadfast we beat on. you hair flows with the breeze blessed from earth, yet there's a concrete grip in your subtle fingers, in which, skyscrapers can be woven. view your demise in a satirical eye, and know that your laughter will ring echoes in great mountains, for eons to come. - 11:23pm

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I take a minute to absorb the hatred lurking the murky ambience.

I take a minute to pray to God almighty to give me strength and resilience. I take a minute to realise the fact that I am not wanted here.

Why does the colour of my skin determine behaviour or actions?

Why does the colour of my skin cause a White man to become aggressively defensive, and shoot my people who are defenseless?

Why does the colour of my skin create such a negative stereotype and thoughts, ​barricading​ my people from prosperity and serenity?

I’m guessing they are afraid.

But who are they afraid of...

Me ?

Now how can that be ?

How can an uniformed , armed, white man be afraid of a defenceless black woman , who has nothing but her worthless voice to defend herself.

A small mumble escapes from my mouth “black lives matter” They stand, in complete silence, their weapons did not leave equipped for this.

I bellow from the deepest pits of my lungs “BLACK LIVES MATTER”

I step forward...

I take a step forward on the concrete, the grounds I know my ancestors built, back in the perilous and brutal days of complete darkness, when they degraded them , dehumanised them and made them slaves not only to their masters, but to the white man’s mentality.

Yes , all lives matter , but in this situation don't be so ignorant and so close minded to think that we are all being treated equally. If someone was to ask you: 'would you want to be treated the same way a black person is being treated' how many of you would say yes?

Suddenly, they back away.

Be honest to yourselves.

But, hey, I’m just a black woman who has nothing but her worthless voice to defend myself.

By Tracy Kpani-Addy

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I used to wait anxiously for your arrival, adamant you’d come back. I’d tell you again and again about how much i loved you, smothered you in unrequited love, overwhelmed you in unreciprocated affection. ​I'd wake up to the sound of the trickling raindrops against the windowsill and the absence of your beating heart. Memories wrapped up in wrinkled white sheets, recollections tucked underneath the silken pillow. You came back once ; just to talk about stuff that swam in your channel of reverie . The room was amplified with thought, loud in contemplation. You hardly muttered a word, unless it was in agreement. You left shortly after, leaving your bleak ambience behind. I left a small bunch of baby’s breath flowers on your doorstep, I heard they're meant to symbolise everlasting love and affection, put them in a vase for me, they’ll help with decaying aroma of warmth and tenderness. Your cynical interests got the better of you , your incredulous tendencies barricading you from finding happiness. But this cyclical propensity always comes back to me ; where did I go wrong, where did I step out of line, where did I push the boundaries, and I still loved you. I still reminisce about us, of what was us ; perched on the side of the armchair you used to sit on, with the brown desk of forgotten memories and dismantled promises in my gaze. I miss us.

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body positivity If you've never even felt the slightest bit ​self conscious about the way you look then although I don't believe that's true, you're very lucky. Body positivity was never too much of a struggle for me personally but I can't tell you I don't struggle with it at all because that would be a lie. However, I never really compared myself to Victoria's Secret models like other girls would - that might come as a shock as it's what so many girls do and strive to look like. Honestly, for me, it was always a healthy body that mattered more than what met society's expectations/idea of a 'perfect' body. If you've naturally got huge thighs, wide hips, broad shoulders, if it runs in the family, then it's likely that you can't change it. If you know that you can't change something, why not just learn to embrace it?

I think that there are way more important things to be doing than worrying about the way you look when every body shape is beautiful. Take it from a girl who likes girls.

Whether you're petite, or super curvy, either is gorgeous as long as you're healthy and you feel good. Once you stop comparing yourself to others and start working with what you've got, things become so much easier. You will realise that it's actually a waste of your time stressing that you don't look a certain way, setting unrealistic body goals. There must be at least one thing you like about yourself - compliment yourself more often and go to peace with the things you're not too keen on. You won't be able to love others if you don't love yourself.

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Zuzanna Kepa

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FW:​ John Betjeman said that “poetry is the shortest way of saying things”, and this I find is true. Poetry is the most succinct way humans have of capturing the most elusive of subjects (love, loss etc) and presenting them to other humans in the hopes that you can say “look! I feel this thing but I can’t really describe it” and they will reply “I feel this thing too!”.

When you are a young woman of colour this expression becomes ever more important, how else do you vocalise the intersection of race meets gender when there exists no established dialogue? How else do you express the pain and anger and frustration you feel? How else do you fully convey the insidious evil that is our oppression? We find solace in something beautiful, and we carry our burdens like bouquets of flowers.

Graffiti by Savannah Brown There’s no beating around the bush, Savannah Brown is one of the best young poets writing today- in my humble opinion.

Graffiti is a range of poems written from the ages of 17 to 19 that spill violently from pure rage, to grief, to wonder, to listlessness. Savannah does what every great poet does, and that is to take a personal experience and somehow translate it into utterly brilliant poetry that is both technically brilliant (pay particular attention to how she uses enjambment and commas), but flips the subject matter on its head so that it is exposed as something that, whilst being specific and personal, is simultaneously so accessible that it makes sense of the tumult within the reader's head whilst they too go through the psychological warfare called adolescence.

This poetry will absolutely articulate the darkest parts of being a teenager in the 21st century. My personal favourite is “pretty girls bleed flowers”.

Find her on youtube →youtube.com/user/savanamazing Buy the physical copy for £10.00 or the e-book for £4 → savannahbrown.bigcartel.com Benjamin Zephaniah Benjamin Zephaniah is angry. Incredibly so, and filled with a righteous zeal. As a black man living in the UK, he has a lot to be angry about. Dispensing with niceties, this is poetry that is blunt, entirely honest, unafraid to question the powers that be and- as an extension of this sentiment, refuses to conform to any expectations of grammar or vocabulary or iambic pentameter. Dealing with ever present themes, “What Stephen Laurence Has Taught Us”, is a prudent reminder that whilst the media may focus entirely on the murder of young black men in the US, the UK is by no means free of the same issue. Benjamin Zephaniah is at war with the world, and we should all take up arms alongside him.

Find out more about the UK Black Lives Matter movement→twitter.com/BlackLivesUK?lang= en-gb

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Rupi Kaur Rupi Kaur’s debut anthology “milk and honey”, is the story of a woman of colour enduring incredible suffering, and using poetry as her tool of healing. Separated into four parts (the hurting, the loving, the breaking and the healing) this anthology is so deeply personal it demands to be read as a whole; it takes the reader on a journey dealing with themes like abuse and trauma, and yet balancing that with a poetic insistence that there is sweetness in every moment a sweetness that runs like an undercurrent through all her poetry. Kaur also writes brazenly of her experience as a Punjabi woman of colour living in Canada, of her own femininity and the intersection between the two. Her poem “women of colour” is outstanding in it’s brevity and clarity.

Buy milk and honey here→ rupikaur.com/shop-2/ Find her on tumblr → rupikaur.tumblr.com Ariel by Sylvia Plath The Bible. The Holy Grail. This is essential reading for anyone, particularly teen girls, and particularly mentally ill teen girls. Plath is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century by established literary canon, is a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, and is one of the founders of the confessional poetry movement. Plath is one of the best poets ever, and Ariel is her at her best .This is poetry to be savoured, as Plath's vernacular creates such a tantalisingly vivid picture, one of the standout poems that exhibits every technique that made her great from this anthology is “Lady Lazarus”.

There’s scores of intellectual analysis of her work, and as context is so important to gain a richer understanding I would absolutely recommend checking out the Crash Course Lit video to that end.

I would also highly recommend buying your own copy, because you will undoubtedly want to analyse every inch of text, you can find one at any standard second hand or charity bookshop for a few pounds.

Maya Angelou If this magazine is called Angsty WoC, Maya Angelou is the ultimate angsty woman of colour. Renowned for her autobiographies (try “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”, the writing is so flowing it’s almost poetic), Dr. Angelou also wrote poetry throughout her life; “Still I rise” has been the anthem of women of colour for decades, instilling confidence and pride in the otherwise oppressed, “On the Pulse of Morning” exhibits outstanding poetic technique combined with Dr. Angelou’s unique (relentlessly hopeful) perspective - one born in the oppression of the segregated south. There is no singular anthology I can point to, but it’s so important that every young girl of colour explores the work of Maya Angelou because she is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom and inspiration that’s invaluable.

By Apoorva Sriram

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There's many struggles of being an Asian women but being criminalized isn't one of them. Although Asians only make up 6% of America, many of us still have slightly more privilege than brown/black folks of color.

By Isabella Dang

That's because many of us are light-skinned and might even be white passing. A lot of other Asians don't understand that we don't go through the struggles that other POC do. It's hard to educate the generations before mine in our community.

For example, my parents are Chinese but were from Vietnam, which is a very conservative environment. They say things that are racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, and any comment that discriminates. My parents were able to come to America and encountered many struggles but they got financially aided college and came pretty close to fulfilling the "American Dream". Many people think that every Asian American has descended from someone who worked the railroad in America.

My parents were considered refugees. It's hard to fit into one community as an Asian American. I feel like I'm too white for Asian people and too Asian for white people. I go to a school that is predominantly Asian and is known as one of the top schools in my area, which contributes to stereotypes of Asians that we are all smart and quiet. Many people don't understand that "positive" stereotypes are harmful. Whether these stereotypes are positive or negative, they make us sound the same, like we can't show anything else or be different, and makes us feel as if that's all we are.I've heard many people say that they're only into Asian girls, especially white guys, like they have a fetish. Do we seem submissive? Are we only cute little things to fuck? You either exotify/sexualize/objectify us or degrade us on our appearance, and sometimes it feels like there's no in between.

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THANK YOU TO ALL THE SUBMITTERS AND CONTRIBUTORS, YOUR WORK AND EFFORT WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED! IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE: SHARON ANATOLE //RUQAIYA JUMA //SAMEE LIMBU //SHISHAM GURUNG //ANEEKA CHOUHDRY //APOORVA SRIRAM // ZUZANNA KEPA // CAITLYN MURRAY //CECILIA LOPEZ //​OLIVER JAMES MCLAUGHLIN // KETKI M’KAR // TRACY KPANI-ADDY // // DAMIAN CORDOVA // ISABELLA DANG

All the illustrations, drawings, text and images do not belong to Angsty WoC unless stated otherwise, all rights and credit to their respectful creators.

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This issue will soon be available for purchase on (check our instagram for updates) :​ angstywoc.tictail.com Social Media; ​@angstywoc SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: - Email your submissions to ​angstywoc@gmail.com​.

- Submissions must be a minimum of one A4 page - No plagiarism, offensive or fraudulent submissions will be accepted - Be sure to mention your full name, age, and consent for using your submission in our article.

- Art, photography, poetry and any written pieces i.e, articles, reviews, stories etc are perfectly acceptable , and (ideally, however not necessarily) should be centralised around the theme of the issue which will be revealed on our Instagram page.

- We might not be able to accept all submissions, however, we will try our best to.

- We will not accept submissions that have already been published online via social media etc - If you’re mentioning or including anyone else's name/work, make sure you have their sole permission as will not be held accountable if things go wrong !

- If you want to become part of the Angsty WoC team permanently, or a frequent submitter, be sure to email ​shazzieanatole@gmail.com​ for an application form!

- Most importantly , have fun when creating work that you want to be featured in our magazine, as it’ll show in your submissions, it’ll attract more people if it’s more interesting and captivatin

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