Where Am I Truly From?: Reflections of Discrimination, Immigration and Division
We are all probably very well-versed with those countless stories of immigration and moving away from one’s home. A lot of us have grown used to constantly moving around and testing our own adaptabilities and endurances when we begin to grow more accustomed and acquaint ourselves with new environments. With these stories of movement and finding a home, also comes bleak tellings of fear, hate and even blasphemy.
Perhaps, growing up a south Asian girl in two environments, born in India and having been raised in Singapore for 17 years, I have experienced and had my fair share of experiences and ruminations on the subject. These have confused me as well as made me understand a lot more about myself, my identity, my culture, and the wider world and context around me.
Race: A Debacle in Singapore?
Growing up in Singapore, a country where equality and social welfare are vital social commitments and responsibilities, undercurrents of racism still continue to exist behind the carefully crafted facade of racial harmony. Most recently, an advertisement by the country’s most popular media agency, Mediacorp showcased an actor posing as a number of different characters that were meant to be of Malay and Indian ethnicities. Yet, the pointed outcry was raised owing to the fact that an ethnically Chinese actor was hired to play the role for the advertisement, rather than the multitude of actors and actresses who were actually of Indian or Malay ethnicity. To add to that, the actor featured on the actor was purposely made up to be of ‘darker’ or ‘browner’ skin, leading the advertisement to be ‘brownface.’ Not only did this advertisement reveal the deep entrenched dehumanisation and discrimination that still continues to be a part of society, but it also reveals the undertones of hypocrisy and blasphemy that still exists especially as the government failed to recognise the urgency of the problem.
Singapore was a great country to live in and still is, yet even in a country that is meant to be representational of a ‘perfect utopia’, having grown to have this reputation the world stage over the years is definitely far from perfect, despite being a country whose foundation has been practically built on immigration. Many forms of racism even seem to be internalised and normalised in society, to a point where they may often be ignored or disregarded completely. Even till this day, Indians and Malays, in particular, continue to largely be on the receiving end of racist or stereotypical jokes and For instance, South Asian ‘migrant worker’ in Singapore continues to be viewed with a great degree of suspicion simply due to informal individual schemas people have about profession and appearance.
A Constant ‘Otherisation’ And Identity Crisis?
There is a rather permanent state of what one would call ‘identity crisis’ especially among immigrant kids who are torn between the complex emotional tug of war between two identities. These don’t always need to have equal value or importance in a person’s life - but there is no denying the fact that both of them play an intrinsic role in shaping and moulding an individual’s identity all the same.
Us immigrant children, in particular, are accustomed to the question, “so where are you really from?” This usually follows a few seconds of silence, shifting weight, stuttering, and quite a lot of rambling at the same time. Back in high school, I studied a poem by Carol Ann Duffy that reflected on a very similar personal dilemma. Her poem, ‘Originally’ concluded with the line, Now, Where do you come from? strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate. Every time I am asked this question myself, I am prone to change my answers which is probably a testament to the fact that I remain equally confused myself. This fact is never static as with each passing day, my identity and way of thinking are reformed and changed. Having moved away from home to France for my undergrad, I am even more overcome by this dilemma as I often have to try to explain my background to strangers and outsiders for the first time. I am always overcome by even a certain amount of wistfulness and loss as I feel like being undecided and confused about two cultures have ‘muta.
Understanding Pre-Existing Realties
Though we all live in a globalised world, there is no denying the fact that the complex social and political currents also play a pivotal role in the societies we inhabit. With more movement and immigration comes an equally rising tide of scepticism, paranoia and fear. There still exists a clear divide and demarcation between cultures because at the same time, anti-immigration sentiments seem to be equally surging in strength and momentum as extreme right-wing ideologies and racially fuelled prejudices are beginning to take root.
Expats and immigrants are on the receiving ends of stigmas and ridicule as a result. One tends to often brand mass groups of people together as ‘immigrants’, thereby eroding their individual freedoms, liberties and most importantly, their voices. This manner of blanket branding has led to the propagation of harmful and damaging stereotypes.
Living in Europe has made me grow more sensitive to some of these problems as even though I have not fully experienced the sheer brunt of it first hand, I still feel a certain sense of ‘otherness’ especially because my surroundings are predominantly ‘foreign’ and ‘not completely my own’. Even though Europe has become a transnational hub, racism, discrimination and so-called ‘otherisation, unfortunately, remain rather common. In fact, I was even once greeted rather degradingly by a man on the street, ‘La fille Indien? Ma Cherie’,(Indian girl, my love) which made me feel downright uncomfortable and insecure in my own environment. It is even more damaging that many young women like me have even grown to somewhat normalise and become accustomed to this kind of behaviour because of its perpetual nature.
Envisioning the Perfect Utopia?
As the world order and course of political and discourse continue to change, it is necessary that we understand the problems, ramifications, pitfalls and implications associated with it. The millennial and post-millennial generations will most obviously face the impacts of said changes, regardless of their enormity.
If there’s one thing we need to accept, it is the fact that our world continues to be divided under a dark cloud of judgement and hate where differences are scrutinised and scorned. These have been unfortunately exacerbated because the world has changed too seismically and its people have not advanced with this tide. In a perfect world, those posters and images of people of different nationalities and backgrounds holding hands would come to fruition, but race, ethnicity and class remain subjects of great complexity and debate.