Stereotypes: What Are You Eating For Lunch Derek?
What are you eating for lunch Derek?
This was a common question for me at school growing up. While everyone else was eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I would usually be eating noodles or rice. And to be honest, I hated it. I hated being different from the rest of the kids at school. I hated getting laughed at for my food, for the size of my eyes, and many other Asian stereotypes.
As I grew older, I began to care about it less and less. I even started joining in on the racial comments and jokes towards myself as a way to cope with the bullying. However, that all ended in eight grade when one of my best friends at the time made a racial joke towards me. I was absolutely flabbergasted. Holding back burning tears in the back of
my eyes, I asked him why he had said it and he gave me the most logical reasoning, that to this date, I have ever heard come from the mouth of an eight grader. He told me that it was all right because I did it to myself as well.
Ever since then, I’ve stopped participating in racial comments and I now stick up for others who are targeted for their differences. As a result, I am a more accepting and compassionate human being. And now, frankly, I could care less whether or not I get judged for my food. It tastes better in my opinion anyways.
This was a common question for me at school growing up. While everyone else was eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I would usually be eating noodles or rice. And to be honest, I hated it. I hated being different from the rest of the kids at school. I hated getting laughed at for my food, for the size of my eyes, and many other Asian stereotypes.
As I grew older, I began to care about it less and less. I even started joining in on the racial comments and jokes towards myself as a way to cope with the bullying. However, that all ended in eight grade when one of my best friends at the time made a racial joke towards me. I was absolutely flabbergasted. Holding back burning tears in the back of
my eyes, I asked him why he had said it and he gave me the most logical reasoning, that to this date, I have ever heard come from the mouth of an eight grader. He told me that it was all right because I did it to myself as well.
Ever since then, I’ve stopped participating in racial comments and I now stick up for others who are targeted for their differences. As a result, I am a more accepting and compassionate human being. And now, frankly, I could care less whether or not I get judged for my food. It tastes better in my opinion anyways.