OPINION - Society
The Shackles of
Racism By Glory Chan
For decades, the reputation of a global city has preceeded Hong Kong. The fact that Hong Kong attracts visitors and businesses around the world, as well as being a host of a variety of international cuisines certainly bolster this image. However, behind this cosmopolitan façade lies a city plagued by intolerance and racism. On one hand, there is a general sense of mindless adulation towards white people, and on the other, an atmosphere of discrimination towards people with darker skin tones. At the top of the conventional racial hierarchy in Hong Kong is a pedestal reserved
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exclusively for westerners with a pale complexion. While this sense of white privilege is by no means obvious, it is far worse – internalised and incorporated into the social fabric of the city’s collective consciousness.
every single white individual become an umbrella term to describe conventionally favourable personality traits? When did the notion of ‘hot’ or ‘good-looking’ equate to whiteness? When did the number of white friends one had become an indicator of social achievement? However, my experience of white privilege in Hong Kong is unfortunately just one of many. Martin Jacques, a British journalist, detailed about how he, “as a white…[was] treated with respect and deference,” while his
Growing up, I received “Being white in Hong Kong is compliments like winning an is award for on how I had a ‘personality hard work you never did” of a white girl’ – Sarah Moran (鬼妹仔). Upon noticing Indian-Malaysian wife was “the my confused expression, they object of an in-your-face racism” explained that this meant I was in Hong Kong. Journalist Sarah open-minded, forthright and Moran also drew on her own outgoing. I have had people experience and highlighted how jealous of my “being white in Hong Kong is opportunity to like winning an award for hard study in the UK, work you never did”. Moran, purely because despite “having zero relevant of the idea that qualifications or experience,” “there must be so managed to find jobs “simply many hot guys by being white-looking”. These over there”. I have testimonies, alongside numerous had people ask others submitted in forums me whether I like Quora and Reddit, serve to managed to get myself some white illustrate the prevalence of white privilege in Hong Kong. friends or a white boyfriend, as if being surrounded In contrast, ethnic minorities by light-skinned with darker skin tones are often westerners is targets of racial discrimination. an admirable One simply has to step out onto accomplishment. the streets to notice the everyday racism that is deeply ingrained in Since when, Hong Kong’s society. It is common did the unique to hear ethnic slurs used on a personalities of daily basis. Filipino women are
