Tuesday, February 19, 2008

More Chinese Ignorance


Image from Between Heaven and Earth.

My last post on what I would say when confronted by a mom who wanted to exclude a dad from a playgroup reminded me of this post about Doug's experience with apparent bigotry in a playground. Now this woman didn't have a problem with Doug taking his daughter to the playground in the middle of a weekday, but she had some serious ignorance about Asian-Americans. Shortly after I posted, he related another story. She had been having back pains so she went to see a doctor that someone recommended. She said he was a Chinese doctor and seemed very knowledgeable, but she didn't understand why he didn't suggest acupuncture.

OMG, is she serious? Do people really think that all Chinese doctors are acupuncturists? Hello, we live in the US, where western medicine is the norm. In fact I abhor Chinese herbal medicine from bad memories as a child. My parents would make me drink this vile black liquid that smelled like cilantro when I was sick. Even as an adult, when people say that they've found Chinese medicine to be beneficial, I say, good for you, I won't go near it! Even recently, my mom suggested that I take some Chinese medicine for my never-ending illness, and I just said, you must be kidding. Maybe I'm the bigot here! rolleyes

2 comments :

Julie Pippert said...

I'm descended from Native Americans (yah and my mom---fairer than me---is even a member of the tribe)...should I be taking peyote to center myself and find truth and meaning?

Your children are beautiful. I'm not 100% sure I'd look at them and start trying to guess ancestry or whatever, though. No, I'm pretty sure not. I'd think, "Ha! Cute kids!" and that might be it.

That lady's question was offensive on multiple levels, though.

One time this lady I know---who I found offensive in many ways on many occasions---asked if my daughters both fell on their foreheads, because they both had "pretty ugly looking bruises there!" No, it's called a stork bite. But thanks for pointing it out that way! (And yes, I did use my words more than once with her. Thankfully our paths no longer cross.)

Why didn't he suggest acupuncture.

ARGH

Do you think the doctor was even Chinese?

Anonymous said...

Gah! My dad drinks that stuff when he's sick. He's offered it up and I'm almost positive it works but I just can't bring myself to try.

(I'm not Asian, though. I'm half Hispanic and half about eight other things. But in California a lot of Asian culture is mainstream.)

BTW, that woman who asked about your daughter's eyes is an idiot.