Stereotypes are something that has been around forever. Though, for myself, I never had a problem with them until recently.
Most people are surprised when I answer the question “what ethnicity are you?’ and I tell them that I am 50% Indian. I get many reactions, like shocking comments, jaws on the floor, or maybe a slap on the arm with words like “NO WAY”. My mom is 100%, so we do all the Indian traditions with her side of the family. Because of all the gatherings, we are a lot closer with my mom’s side of the family than my dad’s. It is always fun to see everyone especially at Diwali because every time I go I always get my cheeks squeezed by an aunty, while she is saying how big I have gotten. I also LOVE Indian weddings, fun fact, I have actually never been to an American wedding in my life, and I don’t plan on having one when I get married. They are so fun because you don’t just have the wedding then the celebration after, there are so many parts to an Indian wedding experience that people usually don’t sleep. The last time I went to one was in 2014 for my uncle, so I haven’t had a recent experience, but the last one was not forgotten.
Now, we have all heard of the sayings about Indians like how they are smart, eat weird food, have no spice tolerance, I have even heard about smells. To me personally, because I am not “technically” fully Indian, these stereotypes are something that I can “handle”. This is the most false statement I have ever heard. People do not understand the feeling that comes when people say these types of things. I have surrounded myself with people that are fully Indian, like my grandparents, who have been through hell just to get to where they are today. It is extremely degrading to hear these types of things being talked about by the people I have so much love for.
I am not going to lie, I struggle in school. I have grown up learning to adapt to the processing disorder that doesn’t allow me to learn the same way most people do. A few times I do badly on an exam or assessment, and people come up to me and go “aren’t you Indian?” “aren’t you supposed to be smart?”. What does that even mean!? I have my own disadvantages due to the way I learn, then now I am being called out on not being smart enough? It is the most degrading feeling and drops so much of my esteem. I question why am I not like other people, should I be smarter? But these questions I ask myself should not even come to be a thought. I blame myself and myself only for not doing well, my race has nothing to do with the way I perform something. It is just extremely upsetting to hear from people the way that they think my ethnic stereotypes should be applied to me because I am Indian.
Also, there is a lot of talk about Indian foods and smells. People have come into my house and have gone “oh it actually smells good!”. Like, I don’t understand the reasoning behind that comment. They may laugh, but do they not realize that my mother is fully Indian, so if the excuse is because I am only half, it doesn’t matter, it is completely unfair to the other people in my house to hear those comments.
According to thehindu.com, a blogger states how he hates how people assume a lot about an arranged marriage. He himself did not have to go through one because they are religious-based and family-based. It does not have to be just because you’re Indian you need to have an arranged marriage. People have brought this up with me, and I understand them just being curious, but the way people project these comments could be better and less insensitive.
Overall, the way I personally have heard things from people is just not satisfying, and I wish that people did not take stereotypes into everything. They are extremely degrading, wrong, and just don’t apply to everyone.
Aiyana, I can definitely relate to the way Indian stereotypes can be degrading. It’s always been really weird for me – if someone white doesn’t like cheeseburgers or french fries, it’s not weird at all. So why do people react like it’s strange when I tell them I can’t stand spicy foods? Or, like you said, when I do bad on a test, people are surprised because they assume I’m doing well on all of them because I’m Indian. Apparently being Indian means that I’m supposed to get some extra IQ points or something, so if that’s the case it’d be really cool if they could kick in soon because I haven’t felt anything yet,
Stereotyping is definitely an issue for people from all different kinds of backgrounds, and I hope there’ll be a day that people can look at one another and not jump to conclusions about them as a person based on what they see.
Aiyana, this was a really moving blog because I completely relate to your perspectives. Being Indian does mean that you get to celebrate in the colorful celebrations and enjoy the amazing and beautiful Indian weddings. But it also means facing the rough stereotypes. Whether it be not liking spicy food, choosing a career other than medicine, or not being smart “enough” there is always that external and internal struggle that we will face. It is as if society has set an expectation on how we are supposed to be and if you are a tad bit off in terms of the way you look, dress, speak or people you hang out with then you are not “Indian”. I think it is important for people broaden their perspectives of Indian’s and remove the stereotypes.
I am glad you were able to share how you were feeling and that it has reached an audience of individuals who can relate.
Aiyana, this blog was definitely eye-opening. I too have experienced comparisons to the typical stereotypes that people associate with being Indian. I have always been proud of my heritage and thought that everyone else would see the beauty in the customs and traditions that we celebrate as Indians, however realizing that not everyone would feel this way was a rude awakening. Also, along with the typical stereotypes, being Indian has often meant being held to a different standard- as though I am being compared with all the other Indian kids around me. I often get the feeling that I am letting someone down just because they feel I don’t measure up to the expectations they have of a “typical Indian student.” Additionally, I am also Muslim, with comes with its own slew of negative stereotypes and assumptions. These standards and stereotypes can be detrimental because when the assumptions people make about you don’t match up to who you actually are, it can feel very frustrating and unfair.