I was on my way to pick up a āPussy Grabs Backā poster I had printed at Kinkos this morning, when my eyes started welling up with tears. Itās not that Iāve been in denial since the election, itās that my M.O. tends to be emotional detachment. My body does this self-preservation thing without my heartās approval. It has its advantages and disadvantages.
I started thinking about all the messages of sexism, racism, and fear that Donald Trump spews out, and how as a person, the person who is being inaugurated today, he will undeniably make decisions for our country guided by these isms that do not represent we the people, but he the politician. He lost his moral compass along the way at some point and has been too cowardly to ask for help or seek to be a better, more compassionate version of himself.
I didnāt cry this morning. My anger about our sexist, racist president turned on me and crushed my heart instead. I was left feeling hopeless, and I know thatās a dangerous place to be. Itās paralyzing. Thereās too much grassroots organizing needed for me to stress eat at every all you can eat buffet in this country. SO, in an attempt to avoid eating my way through the next four years, Iām going to shed light on a bright spot.
Iām reminding myself that progress doesnāt come in four year cycles, and it doesnāt all start or stop with a single administration. As terrible as the current state of politics in this country is, overall, compared to the 90ās when Margaret Choās āAmerican Girlā show didnāt last more than a season, we are now living in an America where shows like Master of None and Fresh Off the Boat exist, ANDā¦
I started watching Elementary recently and am partway through season two. Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson warms my heart. Besides the fact that the Watson role is traditionally played by men in every other Sherlock Holmes adaptation, Liu is Asian! Itās so rare to see an Asian on t.v. playing a role that doesnāt lean on Asian stereotypes. Weāve come a long way people.
I was 20 when the Charlieās Angelās movie with Liu in it as Alex came out. She was smart and sexy, because Hollywood doesnāt do just smart women. Iām 36 now and although Liu as Watson is still both smart and sexy, thereās way Way WAY less emphasis on the sexy. Plus I have yet to see Watson do a slo-mo hair flip. Sheās stylish and any extra sexualization is due to the biased lens of the viewer.
It might seem like a stretch, but I see the evolution of how Asians are portrayed in movies and on television as a reflection of the progress this country has made when it comes to race and stereotypes. Yes, we still have a long way to go, lots of work to do, but hasnāt it always been that way? And weāve gotten this far. So, even though Iām sad today and wish the tears would flow to carry away my heartbreak, I do know that progress is possible. I plan to be a vocal and active participant in ensuring our countryās democracy is sustained. I have to, to survive and thrive.
