To ask if people of asian descent feel underrepresented?

[josil]

Please keep this thread polite I don't want it deleted! It's a sensitive question to ask which I'm aware of hence why I'm starting with the disclaimer to please keep the tone non-inflammatory this isn't intended to create any arguments just genuinely want to explore an issue.

I'm asking the question because particularly since BLM a lot of media corporations and people in general are much more aware and inclusive for black people (whilst it's not always perfect I think a lot of people are making the effort to be more inclusive for black people) you see us much more on tv ads and on clothing websites etc.

I just wandered how Asian people feel because I think there is a lack of representation - but also no one really campaigning for it?

I'm interested to hear your perspective on if it bothers you or not? Do you think there's an imbalanced focus on BLM and not on other races?

I appreciate each race has their own unique struggles but I do feel non white people have a unique understanding of each other in many ways when it comes to inclusivity.

Do you mean middle or Eastern Asians?

@ThrallsWife any Asians in the Uk, I guess predominantly Indian, Pakistani and Bangladesh mainly as that is the largest Asian population in the UK although I wasn't really being specific as all of Asia is considered 'non-white' when living in the UK

I’m Pakistani, and no not really, but I don’t and wouldn’t live in a mainly white area. My career is quite popular with fellow south asians.

@Simonjt irrespective of living in a mainly white area thought the question is still relevant - I guess I'm referring to media representation mainly

It's a very good point. Of non white groups Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladeshis make up the greatest by far proportion. We have several cities where they are a sizeable part and these cities are known for their groups and the benefits of their culture.
However the representation on television on broadcasting and in adverts is appalling, verging on racist by their exclusion.

Mind you the lack of representation Far Eastern people's in Britain is abominable. When did you last see an Oriental British person in an advert? As a presenter? Considering they were one of the first non white ethic groups in the country and whose spread around the country has been all reaching it is scandalous.

I do believe there has been a greater emphasis on including people of Indian/ Bangladeshi/ Pakistani origin in modern media (many a Netflix program my teen watches comes to mind), but it can be fraught with difficulties. Think what you want of Citizen Khan, for example (the humour was very much old-style slapstick), but the amount of death threats that followed aimed at the director/ main character of the show was disgusting for not showing Islam in the correct way - despite many bits being clearly satire and/ or done for comedic effect. Where religion is still seen in such a serious light, there can be a lot of reluctance for fear of getting it "wrong".

I do find Eastern Asians vastly underrepresented in European media. The US are quite good at including people of Japanese descent, but given the number of citizens of Chinese and (in my area) Thai origin we have, it always stands out to me when they are included.

Mind, while not a race thing, you could say the same about Britain's first- (Polish) and second-largest (German) European population.

Asians - I think are vastly unrepresented. Nothing will be done about it though.

I was very surprised to see a TV advert (normal family at home style advert) the other day with a Mediterranean, Iranian, maybe Pakistani looking man on. It reminded me that many ethnicities are under-represented. It's rare to see a Greek-looking person on TV.

Yes agree with you all - I guess I'm interested to know if it bothers people? Because as a black person my friends and family constantly push and are bothered by our representation - and I don't really hear Asians even mentioned and I guess I wandered is it because it doesn't bother Asian people or do they see it an issue but perhaps in their own circles I.e - are not as vocal about the issue as black people?

I hope I'm making sense!

I don't think Asians see it as an issue. They're just quietly getting on with things and smashing it in education and professional life.

Asians have different challenges, unlike black people we aren’t criminalised quite as much from a young age, nor is our every word and action considered aggressive. We aren’t as discriminated against, so we tend to do better at school, in gaining employment etc compared to black people due to the higher levels of discrimination they suffer.

I wonder if British black people get a lot of ideas, (and mis-ideas) from black people/ culture in the US and adopt it for right or wrong here. The American black experience is different from that of black people in the UK.

Although not Asian, it bothers me that representation of the races that make up the UK is not representative in the slightest. I realise racial/ethnic make up varus greatly from town to town in the UK. Brixton London is different to Brixton Devon! Sometimes I fear it is done intentionally to create disharmony.

I'm glad you have posted this thread as its something I have wondered about since BAME became the word to be used (rather than BLM) its almost as if that word sidelined everyone else.

The question is complex. Speaking for myself: do I need to see myself represented? (No). Would it have changed my outcomes if I’d been better represented? (Possibly) Have I at times benefitted from being an under-represented minority? (Yes) Do I wish for other minorities to have representation if it’s meaningful to them? (Yes)

The relationship between white Brits and people of Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi descent is very different from that between white Brits and people of African or Caribbean descent. The socio-economic starting points are different; the historic power imbalances are different; the support base from “home” is different; the diasporas’ relationships to home is different; what the British left behind in their ex-colonies is different; and so on and so forth. All of these things and more contribute to a different landscape for different minorities. Even within each minority, there are differences.

The BLM movement as started in the US has a specific source and meaning, but is amenable to adaptation wherever required. The South Asian diasporas have suffered in different ways. To my mind, they’re different struggles that require different solutions (but of course there’s overlap). One doesn’t detract from the other. There are synergies. But it’s wrong to conflate the two entirely.

Very nicely put. Just out of interest are you an academic or lawyer? Just being nosy…

I am ethnically Asian (Indian Tamil). First point is that to talk of Asians as a whole is too big a pool. The underlying analysis shows that some Indian groups are quite well represented in the professions (law and accountancy in particular). Some groups such as Bengalis have more problems with inclusion according to the stats. Its a bit like saying all Europeans are x and y.

At a personal level, the UK has come a long way since my childhood and as a community the Indian diaspora is quite adaptable and values education. So we have got on. I hold a senior position in accountancy. However, I and my children still see quite significant signs of racism. In my leafy area of Norfolk my two sons are often followed round the local Morrisons by a security guard clearly involved in a spot of racial profiling. I have lost count of the number of times I have been mistaken for someone's PA at a meeting or asked where things are in a supermarket. Some of my relatives in more urban areas are subject to much more open abuse including assault. Depressingly they rarely complain to the police, which follows years of them doing nothing to protect Indian communities.

As for representation. Yes its got better. I see many more brown faces on TV, in media and even now in comedy which I welcome, as do my kids. However, in business there is a tendency to stereotype Asian men and women as the workhorse of the team. In accountancy for example the people to crunch and analyse the numbers but never to be the FD. This is a perception we still need to break.

I’m a SAHM.

I'm not Asian but I've been thinking about the lack of representation of north and south Asians in tv and media. Its very rare to see any Asian person represented on BBC but you hardly ever see any people of Chinese or North Asian descent represented at all. Whereas if you go into any city centre, there are many people from that racial background.

I like the appreciation on this thread that different groups of Asians have different experiences and challenges - which are also different from other ethnic groups.

I’m East Asian and I don’t really mind not having much media representation. I’m lucky to have had a comfortable upbringing and an experience mostly free from racism. Some of my relatives do feel a bit left out - particularly if they are more into arts and culture (I’m more of a geeky type). It is definitely positive though - to have sitcoms like fresh off the boat or crazy rich asians - to kinda laugh/chat about aspects of our culture.

My kids are mixed race and I was shocked that they said they wanted to be English in in U.K. and my race in my home country. Perhaps having low media representation does affect this.

I'm asking the question because particularly since BLM a lot of media corporations and people in general are much more aware and inclusive for black people (whilst it's not always perfect I think a lot of people are making the effort to be more inclusive for black people) you see us much more on tv ads and on clothing websites etc

You sound like a Journalist and Researcher. & your comparisons are off key in terms of 'yeah but Black People' style.

As if we're all good now because we're more visible in media and a few companies did the performative Black Squares thing during height of BLM, and that makes up for racism, discrimination, constant microaggressions, Windrush scandal etc.

Simonjt
Asians have different challenges, unlike black people we aren’t criminalised quite as much from a young age, nor is our every word and action considered aggressive. We aren’t as discriminated against, so we tend to do better at school, in gaining employment etc compared to black people due to the higher levels of discrimination they suffer

^This. Thank you

Trainbear
I wonder if British black people get a lot of ideas, (and mis-ideas) from black people/ culture in the US and adopt it for right or wrong here. The American black experience is different from that of black people in the UK*

🙄 I really, really hope you aren't an educator in any form as your comment is racist, cringeworthy and spectacularly uninformed/clueless to the point you should be embarrassed but likely aren't.

@DeeCeeCherry I assure you I'm not a journalist or researcher

You sound like a Journalist and Researcher. & your comparisons are off key in terms of 'yeah but Black People' style.

I have no idea what you're talking about

@AchatAVendre yes your point exactly.

My OP acknowledge that poc have different experiences I'm fully aware of that - I referred to 'Asian' as a group because I was talking about all of Asia yes, I don't see much representation on TV for any Asians which is exactly my point.

@GreenLunchBox you say it as though black peoples aren't?