i tried to capture some of the micro aggressions i've received/witnessed from people i loved or considered to be really good friends. it hurts to be objectified, but to be reduced to a stereotype by someone you really trust is even more painful.

in high school, I never questioned when guys i was interested in told me that they were exclusively attracted to asian/mixed women, that they loved how "exotic" i looked, or that i had a great butt, for an asian girl. i thought of these comments as complimentary; in fact, i didn't even realize that i was being objectified until i witnessed my friends receiving the harmful effects of orientalism, and on the other side of the coin, discrimination. while a lot of my girl friends have no shame advertising their "jungle fever" and most guys i've been with have proudly declared their preference for "my type," i often question whether people are more interested in getting to know me as a person or as a racial commodity.

if you feel comfortable, i'd love to know some micro aggressions you've received to be included potentially in a future comic.

submit your art to edblecomplex@gmail.com

xo,

hannah

racist friends