Hi, Kate. You raise some interesting points here. I don't agree with you on all of them, but it's definitely interesting to hear different people's perspectives.
Your friends' use of the word "Curries" to describe themselves sounds a lot like an example of reclamation. I love the idea of reclamation. Not just because it's awesome to think that words that are used as vicious put-downs today might sound totally inoffensive or hilariously archaic in a few years, but also because the words become a kind of in-joke for the very people who are sometimes hurt by them. At the same time, though, the etiquette of reclaimed words can be tricky as hell
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Okay, I just had to run off and do a couple of things, but here's the rest of what I wanted to say:
I suspect you're absolutely right that many people in Australia associate South Asian people with professions that they dislike or hold in low regard, rather than professions that they respect. What I'm not convinced of, though, is this:
"But while there are Curries flocking here to harass us, they will be hurt because people don't know the difference."Is there really any causal relationship between the heavy representation of South Asian people in telemarketing and sales in Australia, and racist attacks against them? There doesn't seem to be any hard evidence to support that claim
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Your friends' use of the word "Curries" to describe themselves sounds a lot like an example of
reclamation. I love the idea of reclamation. Not just because it's awesome to think that words that are used as vicious put-downs today might sound totally inoffensive or hilariously archaic in a few years, but also because the words become a kind of in-joke for the very people who are sometimes hurt by them. At the same time, though, the etiquette of reclaimed words can be tricky as hell ( ... )
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I suspect you're absolutely right that many people in Australia associate South Asian people with professions that they dislike or hold in low regard, rather than professions that they respect. What I'm not convinced of, though, is this:
"But while there are Curries flocking here to harass us, they will be hurt because people don't know the difference."Is there really any causal relationship between the heavy representation of South Asian people in telemarketing and sales in Australia, and racist attacks against them? There doesn't seem to be any hard evidence to support that claim ( ... )
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