IS THIS RACIST?

Beckscherie44

I had a conversation about Asian food earlier in a weight loss chat room.
A woman made an observation that many Asian women seem to stay very slim even on a high carb, often greasy diet.
I suggested that genetically, many Asians are naturally smaller framed, and that maybe they are better at metabolising the diet because through time they have become accustomed to it. This already had several people in the chat crying 'racist'.

Trying to explain myself, I was hoping to point out that different populations genuinely do process food differently depending on their genetic make-up. For example, that many people of Asian descent have trouble metabolising alcohol. My boyfriend for example is Korean and gets what he calls, 'the Asian glow' - he just can't break down the enzymes fast enough and it leaves him totally drunk and red faced after a single drink. That REALLY got people riled up - I don't know how many people called me a racist *****.

I guess I was surprised because nothing I said was derogatory, or suggested Asian people are less because they are different, and I certainly didn't mean to cause trouble. The truth of the matter is that even though we are all equal, the truth is we ARE different - it's not a bad thing, but it seems making that observation has people upset. The reaction surprised me. I'm genuinely sorry if anyone does find this rude or ignorant, and I guess that's why I'm posting - was I racist?

CharleePear

Nah you werent being racist. Too many people are labeling any comments about a differing race from the speaker as racist. People shut up.

Qomplicated

VeganLexi

Haha, this reminds me of when I used to teach English in Taiwan, the kids used to pull that face to me and call me "ghost teacher" if I told them off :laugh:

aquarabbit

Lol at above. I personally don't think so. I think that there are some people that jump to that when race is involved, no matter what the subject matter is. Brush it off!

Angel03744

Nah you werent being racist. Too many people are labeling any comments about a differing race from the speaker as racist. People shut up.

I couldn't agree more!

SophieA9083

Science is not racism....

steve2kay

It seems a dangerous game to make any serious point about differences between people, it's easy for stupid people to take offence on behalf of someone else and call you racist, sexist, fatist, gayist, ageist - you need a funny gif that makes your point - in the future people will only be able to communicate through funny gifs of cats.

neandermagnon

Living in Asia, I'd say the Asians where I live are not slim on a very high carb, high fat diet. Not in the slightest. They're in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Discussing ethnic differences between people isn't racist, but some people do think that any mention of ethnic differences is racism... it's not. There are ethnic differences in terms of average frame size, average height, skin colour, and various other ways in which humans differ from each other. If it was racism to discuss this in a respectful way, then the entire field of anthropology would be racist.

One thing i would say though, is that Asia is a continent, and the statement you made is a sweeping generalisation. I'm assuming you're referring to a specific population within Asia, though I'm not sure which. My sweeping statement at the start of this message refers to Saudis and Bahrainis (I live in Bahrain and before that lived in Saudi), and there is an obesity epidemic in the Arabian Gulf, some Arabian Gulf countries have higher rates of obesity than western countries. So anyway, the point being that Asia is a continent, and there are many Asian populations, and obesity rates vary massively, as do local diets etc. So while it's not racist to discuss ethnic differences, your comment was a sweeping generalisation and it's possibly that which has annoyed people.

OllyReeves

Living in Asia, I'd say the Asians where I live are not slim on a very high carb, high fat diet. Not in the slightest. They're in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Discussing ethnic differences between people isn't racist, but some people do think that any mention of ethnic differences is racism... it's not. There are ethnic differences in terms of average frame size, average height, skin colour, and various other ways in which humans differ from each other. If it was racism to discuss this in a respectful way, then the entire field of anthropology would be racist.

One thing i would say though, is that Asia is a continent, and the statement you made is a sweeping generalisation. I'm assuming you're referring to a specific population within Asia, though I'm not sure which. My sweeping statement at the start of this message refers to Saudis and Bahrainis (I live in Bahrain and before that lived in Saudi), and there is an obesity epidemic in the Arabian Gulf, some Arabian Gulf countries have higher rates of obesity than western countries. So anyway, the point being that Asia is a continent, and there are many Asian populations, and obesity rates vary massively, as do local diets etc. So while it's not racist to discuss ethnic differences, your comment was a sweeping generalisation and it's possibly that which has annoyed people.

You make a good point (In my opinion) but I disagree that this is what annoyed people.

The problem is that a lot of people are stupid and misunderstand what 'racist' actually means.

padams2359

It is always difficult when you try and put into words how your mind processes things to make sense of them. Your intent never seems to be the point that comes accross, as much as the process of your validation to get to understanding. Generalizations always come accross as racist, no matter the intent. Like it or not.

AntWrig

Science is not racism....

But it can be used to promote racism....

Let's start with Eugenics.

Myhaloslipped

I don't think it's racist.

294Rich

Well in that case, the World Health Organization is racist.

http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/bmi_asia_strategies.pdf

nelinelineli

Well I wouldn't consider it racist if what you say were true - that Asians are thin because of their genes.

But they're not. I live in Japan, and women around me are generally rather thin (although the young generation is visibly chubbier).
One thing I can definitely tell you is that they eat very little to maintain that weight - they have a varied, rather clean, low calories diet, despite appearances. That, of course, is just an observation of my friends' diets, not a generalization on the whole continent. Maybe my friends are "the odds one out", but I highly doubt it.

OllyReeves

Science is not racism....

But it can be used to promote racism....

Let's start with Eugenics.

Is that remotely relevant to this thread? I don't think so....

OllyReeves

Well I wouldn't consider it racist if what you say were true - that Asians are thin because of their genes.

But they're not. I live in Japan, and women around me are generally rather thin (although the young generation is visibly chubbier).
One thing I can definitely tell you is that they eat very little to maintain that weight - they have a varied, rather clean, low calories diet, despite appearances.

So by your logic: untrue generalization is racist, but your massive sweeping generalization is not racist because you consider it to be true....I assume by 'they' you mean ALL people that live in Asia?

padams2359

It could also be that they are more active so they are processing more calories.

HollisGrant

The Asian diet didn't use to include a lot of dairy and meat other than fish. Dairy especially will pork you up. As McDonald's and the western diet spreads all over the world, people are getting fatter. Asian people can get fat just like anybody anywhere. I looked in a museum recently at clothing worn in the United States in the mid-1800s and people were tiny compared to Americans today. Their diet was different and they exercised more.

rickylurve

How on earth can that be construed as racist in any way, shape or form? People are so quick to jump on the PC bandwagon, and then become even more biggoted themselves. Did you say it with hatred in your heart? I wouldn't worry about it. You know what you said was not racist, and don't let people who do not understand the term doubt yourself. As they say, "haterz got to hate".

darrensurrey

You're not racist but they are idiots.

My sister goes red when she drinks alcoholic drinks. So, does that make me racist?

Also, you get fat and skinny orientals just as you get the likes of Mike Chang.

bregalad5

Well I wouldn't consider it racist if what you say were true - that Asians are thin because of their genes.

But they're not. I live in Japan, and women around me are generally rather thin (although the young generation is visibly chubbier).
One thing I can definitely tell you is that they eat very little to maintain that weight - they have a varied, rather clean, low calories diet, despite appearances.

So by your logic: untrue generalization is racist, but your massive sweeping generalization is not racist because you consider it to be true....I assume by 'they' you mean ALL people that live in Asia?

To be fair, she did clarify that she was speaking about her friends' diets, and prior to that I assumed she was speaking of the Japanese diet due to her mentioning living in Japan.

When I lived in Korea, the younger generation (in my town, to add clarity) was littered with overweight kids, which made me sad. I was in a small, secluded town, too, not even in the city where there is much easier access to "western" food...

EvgeniZyntx

Science is not racism....

What science?

And "scientism" has been at the very core of some of last centuries' worst racism. Making sweeping generalizations about diet or weight for an entire sub population?

You want science?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21908945

Abstract
Many predictive equations for basal metabolic rate (BMR) based on anthropometric measurements, age, and sex have been developed, mainly for healthy Caucasians. However, it has been reported that many of these equations, used widely, overestimate BMR not only for Asians, but also for Caucasians. The present study examined the accuracy of several predictive equations for BMR in Japanese subjects. In 365 healthy Japanese male and female subjects, aged 18 to 79 y, BMR was measured in the post-absorptive state using a mask and Douglas bag. Six predictive equations were examined. Total error was used as an index of the accuracy of each equation's prediction. Predicted BMR values by Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (Japan-DRI), Adjusted Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (Adjusted-DRI), and Ganpule equations were not significantly different from the measured BMR in either sex. On the other hand, Harris-Benedict, Schofield, and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization/United Nations University equations were significantly higher than the measured BMR in both sexes. The prediction error by Japan-DRI, Adjusted-DRI, and Harris-Benedict equations was significantly correlated with body weight in both sexes. Total error using the Ganpule equation was low in both males and females (125 and 99 kcal/d, respectively). In addition, total error using the Adjusted-DRI equation was low in females (95 kcal/d). Thus, the Ganpule equation was the most accurate in predicting BMR in our healthy Japanese subjects, because the difference between the predicted and measured BMR was relatively small, and body weight had no effect on the prediction error.

Japanese have, according to this study, a lower statistical BMR per age, weight, sex as Caucasians. Now how does "science" impact the OP statement?

You can find the same conclusions for Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean subject studies - with many specific equations developed. Usually these studies are flawed in that they do not evaluate two populations so it is impossible to see if the differences are actual or instrumentation error. Totally worthless but they are there.


Maybe. Just maybe - what people eat at home isn't the smorgasbord of food that people have at restaurants.

nessagrace22

Racist, no.

Stereotypical, yes!

nelinelineli

Well I wouldn't consider it racist if what you say were true - that Asians are thin because of their genes.

But they're not. I live in Japan, and women around me are generally rather thin (although the young generation is visibly chubbier).
One thing I can definitely tell you is that they eat very little to maintain that weight - they have a varied, rather clean, low calories diet, despite appearances.

So by your logic: untrue generalization is racist, but your massive sweeping generalization is not racist because you consider it to be true....I assume by 'they' you mean ALL people that live in Asia?

No, by "they" I mean the women I come in contact with. I was under the same impression that Japanese people must have something "special", different genes or different bodies than the rest of us. I don't believe that anymore because when I started eating like them, my (caucasian) body ended up at a similar weight to theirs.

darrensurrey

Maybe. Just maybe - what people eat at home isn't the smorgasbord of food that people have at restaurants.

You haven't eaten at my parents'. /o\

padams2359

You're not racist but they are idiots.

My sister goes red when she drinks alcoholic drinks. So, does that make me racist?

Also, you get fat and skinny orientals just as you get the likes of Mike Chang.

It doesn't make you racist, and I don't think it makes her Asian either. Lol

BernadetteChurch

From the Oxford Dictionary:

" noun
[mass noun]

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races: theories of racism

prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior:a programme to combat racism"


So, no, this is not racist and the word racist is over- and usually incorrectly used.

nelinelineli

Well I wouldn't consider it racist if what you say were true - that Asians are thin because of their genes.

But they're not. I live in Japan, and women around me are generally rather thin (although the young generation is visibly chubbier).
One thing I can definitely tell you is that they eat very little to maintain that weight - they have a varied, rather clean, low calories diet, despite appearances.

So by your logic: untrue generalization is racist, but your massive sweeping generalization is not racist because you consider it to be true....I assume by 'they' you mean ALL people that live in Asia?

To be fair, she did clarify that she was speaking about her friends' diets, and prior to that I assumed she was speaking of the Japanese diet due to her mentioning living in Japan.

When I lived in Korea, the younger generation (in my town, to add clarity) was littered with overweight kids, which made me sad. I was in a small, secluded town, too, not even in the city where there is much easier access to "western" food...

I have the same experience with seeing a lot of obese children in my (small, secluded) Japanese town. I also noticed that McDonald and KFC customers tend to be of a rather young age - it's the place where high-school kids meet and do their homework. Of course, correlation is not causation, but...

Beckscherie44

I guess the point is not whether what I was saying was true - it was more a casual, 'hmm, maybe it's something to do with this' kind of statement, not 'its definitely because...etc'. I know people don't like generalisations, but when it's not a negative generalisation, I find it hard to see why people get offended.

The same as if someone might say, 'many European women have fair skin'. Whether its true or not is not what's relevant - it's just not offensive either way. Sorry if I'm not making sense, having trouble choosing the right words!

sola24

In my opinion, no it was not racist. But I do have a complaint about how the word 'Asian' is used in western countries especially in the US. By Asian they usually mean people of a mongoloid origin like chinese, japanese, south east asia.. but Asia is a vast continent so people from middle east and south asia are also asians.. like saudis, indians, bengalis, sri lankans.. and they many of them do not have a small frame and urban parts of these countries are battling with obesity as much as any other part of the world.. on the other hand Japan has lowest obesity rate mainly due to their diet and culture..