I donāt think people realise how easy it is to feel ugly when youāre South East Asian.
I know so many popular East Asian bloggers, who always get so many notes because of how elegant and refined and. Pale. They are. Those are standards most of us can never achieve. Iāve never seen a selfie set of a southeast Asian girl break 1k: but Iāve seen plenty, and I mean plenty of pale East Asians break 3k easy.
I know East Asian bloggers who go on about racism against East Asians and act like itās universal. I know some who will talk about East Asian racism but never breathe a word about racism against southeast Asians.
I know East Asian bloggers who literally donāt follow any South East Asians. The ones who say that it doesnāt matter because āweāre all East Asian!ā Technically. Or those who act like weāre a different breed and a different species.
I wonder if most East Asians know that their beauty standards get passed down to our countries. I wonder if they know how it hurts a lot of us.
So Iām giving a shoutout to every southeast Asian girl. Every one of you,if us, deserves to feel pretty.
Iām talking about the Indonesian gals with broad noses. The Malay girls who wear Tudung and are mocked. Chinese Singaporeans who are still not āChinese enoughā for mainlanders. Filipino girls who feel guilty about their curly or frizzy hair. Indian Singaporeans who are feel like they need to be pale to be worth something ( you donāt). Thai girls who are told their country is only good for farming rice. Myanmar girls who get asked mockingly if theyāre domestic workers. Even if you are, there is no shame in that. Every Cambodian girl who felt bad about having thick lips. I know I left a lot of people out, and Iām sorry. But if youāre reading this and havenāt seen yourself here - you are just as worthy and my spirit and strength and good wishes are with you
You are all beautiful. Every single one of you. We are all beautiful. Itās hard to see it and itās hard to feel it sometimes but we are. You are. Every one of you. Pride to our people!