The ad was reminiscent of some fragmented childhood memories of mine. As one of the few Asian American kids sprinkled on my elementary school playground during recess, I was taunted by a gesture that many Asian Americans are familiar with – two fingers stretching the corners of each eye: The Chink Eye. It’s a halting reminder of physical differences that shouldn’t matter then, and especially now.

The Chink Eye is apparently still alive and well, even past childhood. This time the Chink Eye has made a loud and offensive presence on a much larger and visible arena than a grade school playground – an Olympic basketball court.  And this time, the bullies weren’t some snot-nosed, sweaty kids. Instead the bullies were, unexpectedly, the Spanish Olympic Basketball team who were teasing Asian peoples across the globe, myself included.

Spain’s Olympic basketball teams posed for a full-paged ad sponsored by the Spanish courier company Seur in La Marca, Spain’s best-selling daily newspaper, in which each player made slit-eyed gestures. According to The New York Times, Spain’s basketball teams are sponsored by Li-Ning Footwear, considered the “Nike of China.” The ad apparently is the Spanish teams’ way of acknowledging their contract extension with the company for another four years.  Also shown posing in the same racist gesture that has marked and differentiated Asians from the American population, are the Lakers’ Pau Gasol and Toronto’s Jose Calderon – two players from cities with large Asian American fans and ticket-holders.

Many of the criticisms and anger that have been raised in response to the unnerving photo ads question how it could be possible that such a gesture could be regarded as harmless and innocent. As a visiting team to China, the host nation for the Olympic games, how could the Spanish teams show such disrespect to their host nation’s people, as well as other Asians all over the world?

Calderon has responded to critics by assuring the poses were an affectionate gesture to their Chinese sponsors. Some Spanish people have come to the defense of their Olympic basketball teams by stating such humor is socially acceptable in their country, and shouldn’t mean more than just a friendly gesture. Others have defended the ad by naming critics as “too sensitive” or “much too politically correct.” The flurry of dialogue surrounding the photos strikes a particular cord for me – racism against Asians or Asian Americans is simply not acknowledged.

To the people who refuse to look deeper into the meaning of a gesture, let alone a gesture on a national advertisement by idolized public figures and athletes, we only need to look so far to see how influential and contagious an apparently “harmless” gesture truly is. The Chink Eye Spanish advertisements have had an effect on other sports teams, causing other athletes to mimic the ad. Spain’s 2008 Federation Cup Tennis team and Argentina’s Olympic Women’s Soccer team have also joined in, stretching the corners of their eyes in the same manner while posing for photographs. And so, the group of bullies becomes bigger and will, most likely now, continue to grow.

The truth is, racism exists. Those who say otherwise would like most to believe that it is dead and gone, or no longer worth discussing. As our global society and community become even more interconnected, as evidenced by our ongoing tradition of the Olympic games, racist gestures and actions, even performed overseas, hit hard at home.  The responsibility of what is portrayed in an advertisement goes beyond the company’s decision-making, but the individual basketball players themselves. As any Asian American will tell you, the gesture is divisive and deeply hurtful. I cannot speak for what is considered humorous in Spain, but I can speak on how humiliating it feels for someone to taunt you about the physical characteristics you share with your ethnic group.

Besides, I like the shape of my eyes. No one can tell me otherwise. And I definitely do not need anyone telling me what they think my eyes look like. Especially not 30 or so immature world-class athletes.

 Jerk Party

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment