Most days, being Chinese American is a joy. I know how to make authentic zha jiang mian. I have a wealth of history and culture to learn from. I can understand the dialogue in Crazy Rich Asians without the subtitles. It’s a duality that I appreciate and honor.
But being Chinese in America during a global pandemic that’s now heavily referred to as the “Chinese virus”? It’s like stepping into an episode of Black Mirror where you’re the bad guy. In the past few weeks, I’ve been flooded with nonstop news alerts of how hate crimes against Asians have become a daily, if not hourly, occurrence. My nationality has become synonymous with a disease that has a skyrocketing death toll. Even stepping outside for groceries is terrifying as strangers approach me with hostility, asking where I’m from and demanding I leave food for those who aren’t “responsible” for the virus.
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a31810912/anti-asian-racism-coronavirus/