Black Girl in China

How many of you ever stop and think what life is like for Black people living in China? And I don't mean ex-pats, I mean Afro-Chinese? Say what?!

I will raise my hand and admit, I've never thought about it at all. I think China, I think Chinese people. I don't think of ethnic diversity outside of the range of the Asian experience. Well, here's a story for you about the daughter of a Chinese mother and an African-American father, who has been raised by her mother in China as a Chinese citizen. She's become a bit of a cyber "celebrity" as of late because of all of the online comments being logged about her after she appeared on a televised Chinese beauty contest with her mother.

Apparently the girl is the result of an affair her mother had with a Black American man who left before she was born. Which means, mom cheated on her Chinese husband. All of that information was shared on Chinese television and opened up what appears to be a never-ending stream of comments from Chinese citizens. While many of the comments are vile and degrading, many are supportive of the girl. I'm of course fascinated because it starts a conversation about race in a country assumed to be completely homogenous. Which of course it is not. This girl cannot be the only Afro-Chinese child in existence, right?

If you happen to be Black and living in China, what has your experience been like? Does racism exist in China? If so, what does it look and feel like? Clearly it's not just a Black thing. I don't believe they covered these topics last year during all of the Olympics coverage, although it would have been a perfect time with all of the differently colored folks walking around. Okay, I'm listening.

Peace.

Oops... They Did it Again (in Spain)

Boy do those Spaniards make it hard for a politically correct, socially conscious, Black girl to love them (except my hubby of course.).

In the latest offensive, racist act committed in the name of good fun in the sports arena, Spain's national basketball team posed for an advertisement while making "Asian eyes." (Please note, I don't know what the correct, non-offensive term for this gesture is, but it's when you pull on the corner of your eyes to make them look "Asian.") The ad was for a Spanish courier company and featured the entire team on the way to the Olympics in China, thus the great idea to mock the Chinese (I'm guessing.)

And wouldn't you know, the ad appeared several times in Spain without making the slightest stir. It wasn't until an English reporter saw it and wrote about it in the Guardian newspaper that all hell broke loose. And now, are the Spaniards contrite, embarrassed, or sorry? No, they don't understand what the big deal is!

“We did it because we thought it was going to be something nice, something with no problem. But somebody wants to talk about it. It is too much of a big deal with you guys (the media) and everybody talking about that.” This from Jose Calderon, a member of the Spanish team who plays for the Toronto Raptors.

As woman of color who has lived in Spain, married a Spaniard and continues to spend extended periods of time there, I wish I could offer more insight into this behavior besides, "They just don't get it." But I can't. I can only hope that with the rest of the world shaking a shaming finger at Spain as they continue to make themselves look woefully ignorant on an international stage, they might just begin to understand.

In Peace and Hope.