Microaggressions from K By Michelle Pao
2
020 is almost over and I cannot remember what happened yesterday because I have been stuck in the same routine for the past year: I wake up, check my Google calendar, begrudgingly do the morning spiel of freshening up, and Zoom to class (literally checking into class at the last minute). But I do remember events that occurred quite frequently this year. I remember my friends losing loved ones, my father losing his job yet still remaining hopeful and cheering me on to finish my senior year strong, and most vividly, I remember being faced with microaggressions. I never thought I would be subjected to these situations, especially in Binghamton where I thought people adopted some sweet Southern hospitality. “No one here would take a jab at me because of what my eyes look like or my race,” I thought. I was wrong. During the spring semester when everyone on campus was mandated to leave, I was a junior living in University Plaza. Having to drop off an important document on campus, I went to the bus stop. Wearing my trench coat, winged eyeliner, baroque style earrings and mask, I felt unstoppable. Beside me a few feet away, there was another young man waiting for the bus. He was Caucasian. The bus rolled around soon enough and I got on after him. He sat in the back of the bus while I chose to sit in front of the exit to maintain social distancing. Towards the middle of the bus was an elderly Caucasian woman. Let’s call her Karey. Karey seemed to be a frequent passenger- she was comfortably and openly talking to the bus driver even though there was a plastic divider to minimize contact. She started rambling how everything was China’s fault- that they sent spies to the U.S. and this is the second time China has created a virus. This did not bother me. What bothered me was how she kept turning around every so often to look at me as she said this out loud. What bothered me was the driver chuckling at her comments. What bothered me was what she said when she left. As she was about to step out the exit, she paused, turned around and said “Filthy animals” aloud, presumably alluding to the Chinese, but also taking a jab at me
8 ASIAN OUTLOOK
for my Asian face. There were three people left on the bus: the young man, the driver and me. We rode in silence to campus. To say the least, I was pissed off and thrown off. Fuming in my head, I was furiously tapping on my phone, informing my friends of what had just happened. As the bus was pulling up to University Union, the bus driver shouted, “Wait, Miss!” With the young man having gone off the bus already, I walked to the center of the bus where the plastic divider was. As I was on one side, he was on the other. Thinking about this now, there was so much symbolism at this instance. He asked if I heard Karey say something. He apologized on her behalf and told me how he never expected something like this to come from Karey. I did not expect him to care, as he was Caucasian as well, but with him realizing
she paused, turned “Filthy animals” a alluding to the C taking a jab at m fac
what had happened, I sta misjudging him and from unethical behavior as wel a bit late. Meanwhile I tri okay, and that quarantine for everyone. Remember when I said th standing on opposite side think this is the divide be
