Ok, see how you do with this. The last Can you guess their ethnicity post I did was a bit tricky, so I'm making it easier for you this time.Have a look at the 11 pictures below. Some of them are Eurasian, having one Caucasian parent. Some of them are "pure" Asian (whatever you take that to mean). And 2 of them are complete red herrings, who are not Asian at all. (Just to keep things interesting.) Remember though that Asia is a big continent with a wide range of people - not everyone is going ... Read Full Story
Remember this?That's teen star Miley Cyrus and her entourage photographed at a party making the "chinky-eye" gesture.If you remember this case, you'll also remember that there was a bit of an uproar over what is generally considered a racist gesture. One woman, Lucie J Kim, was so outraged that she launched a $4 billion class action against Cyrus, on behalf of every Asian person in LA, for "emotional distress".Unsurprisingly, the judge dismissed the lawsuit this week. And a good thing too. It... Read Full Story
In an age where footballers are routinely condemned for being solely motivated by money, perhaps we should be glad that Amr Zaki puts principles first.If only his principles weren't so odious, that is.Zaki is the Egyptian striker who wowed English crowds with his penchant for finding the net early last season. While on loan at Wigan, he led the Premier League in scoring for the first couple of months before tailing off in form. But there were signs that Zaki might have been a bit of a c**k - ... Read Full Story
Since we are around that time of year when y'all young folks are either doing exams or waiting for your results - this one's for you. It's the classic "Typical Asian Parents" sketch from Goodness Gracious Me. And all you out there of the Asian persuasion (whether brown or yellow) know how true this is. Read Full Story
Before reading any further, take a listen to this laid-back groove.Sounds like something out of the US or UK, recalling the sound of Touch of Jazz label from Philly (responsible for acts like Musiq Soulchild).Actually, it's straight out of Jakarta, not traditionally a place known for appreciating soul music, let alone creating it. But in recent years a number of Indonesian artists have appeared on the scene working in the R&B;/neo-soul/acid jazz medium. Like their peers (Maliq N D'Essentials,... Read Full Story
I blogged about this story a few days ago (here), at which point it had not been reported in the Australian media despite being all over the Indian news. Well the Aussie media have finally picked up on it; but this report makes an interesting read:Victorian police have confirmed they are investigating another attack on an Indian student in Melbourne's northern suburbs last weekend.The victim says the assault was accompanied by a torrent of racial abuse.The Indian media have again seized on th... Read Full Story
Among the most-read posts I've written on this blog were the ones relating to blackface - about the infamous Hey Hey It's Saturday incident, and the reaction to it, and also about whether such racially-based humour can ever be acceptable.You can check those here:Racial humour - is it ever okay?An Aboriginal perspective on blackfaceMessage from a black man on black faceControversy over blackface Jackson 5 skitAnyway, it turns out that those good folks from The Daily Show have been pondering th... Read Full Story
There have been 2 stories that have dominated Australian news reports in the last week or so, and one that flew under the radar. But together they demonstrate a complex picture of how Australians relate to South Asian people. First, the one you probably didn't hear about. It got absolutely no coverage in any Australian media, yet was all over the Indian media. From the Hindustani Times:An Indian couple living in a Melbourne suburb on Wednesday claimed that a group of three people, including t... Read Full Story
