The Asian community has experienced particular difficulties as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. When the virus first appeared in Wuhan, China, and then spread throughout the world, Asians were disproportionately targeted for stigma and discrimination.
The pandemic has unfortunately resulted in an increase in xenophobia and incidents motivated by race. Regardless of their specific relationship to the virus, Asians have been unfairly singled out and have experienced bigotry and even violence. Along with the immediate psychological and social fallout, this feeds negative stereotypes that make it harder for people of different backgrounds to feel inclusive and like they belong in diverse societies.
Nearly 69% of cases, according to the Stop AAPI Hate Centre, involved verbal abuse, including being referred to as the "Chinese Coronavirus." In particular, there was a brief spike in hate crimes committed against Asian Americans following the public use of labels such as "Kung flu" and "Chinese virus" on March 16, 2020. I interviewed one aspiring member of Stop Asian Hate who wants to make a change and they responded that it is “extremely disrespectful and hurtful, especially with the fact that they are humans too.”
Fighting discrimination is essential in the spike in anti-Asian sentiment during and after COVID-19. Through, supporting inclusiveness, and uniting against discrimination, we clear the path for a more sympathetic and peaceful post-pandemic world. Everyone must combat hate, and we must succeed in defending our humanity.
