Reverse Racism in Taiwan

[dnoblett]

Interesting topic about what an American Born Chinese had to deal with when trying to find a job as an adult English teacher in Taiwan.

 

Li Anne's article.

 

By Lianne Lin

 

I lived in Taiwan (Taipei and Taichung) for three years, and though I had an amazing time, I experienced a more harmful type of racism there than I ever have in my home country. Born and raised in America, I would occasionally get teased or put down for being Asian, which was definitely damaging to the ego. However, that could not compare to the devastation of being turned down for job after job because of the way I look.

 

I’m an ABC (American Born Chinese) and come from the same ethnic background as 98% of the people in Taiwan today: Han Chinese. I was shocked to find myself facing discrimination in a country where I totally blended in with the locals, and heartbroken to feel rejected by a country I loved so much.

 

I moved to Taipei in early 2010 to study Mandarin and learn about my mother’s birthplace. I looked for ways to get a work visa so I could try and stay long term. Work visas must go through an approval process and require companies to pay high fees and taxes, so it isn’t easy for foreigners to get sponsored for most jobs. However, if you have a bachelor’s degree and a passport from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland or South Africa, it’s supposedly not hard to find an English teaching job.

 

I applied to every major school I could find in Taipei but got very few replies, just a few interviews that went nowhere. I got some substitute teaching gigs at kids’ schools through friends and started tutoring privately on my own. (Freelance work, unfortunately, does not lead to a work visa.) Another friend set me up with an interview at his school, where I was offered a position with an “ABC pay rate”, which is only 400 NTD per hour ($13.50 USD). This was ridiculous because I knew the rate should 600 NTD ($20 USD) or higher. This was my first time ever facing pay rate inequality, and I didn’t accept the job. Another friend who is hapa (mixed Asian/white), easily got a job at a well-known adults’ school and helped me turn in a resume. But later, my friend told me that his boss said that they didn’t want to hire ABC teachers. Apparently, as soon as the schools see either my photo or my Chinese last name, my resume goes into the trash.

 

MORE....

http://www.8asians.com/2013/10/23/reverse-racism-in-taiwan/

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Interesting article Dan.

 

But first, I think it's important to say that what the writer described in her article is NOT 'racism' or as she coined in her writing 'reverse rascism'; What she describes is discrimination. Big difference. The Chinese actively discriminate toward job-seekers. The pretty, the handsome, the young are always hired first. But, in this case the reason is not because the employer doesn't like Asian people; it's because their customers, who are Chinese/Taiwanese will always choose the white-faced Westerner over the Asian. When it comes to teaching English, the white faced Westerner will get the job over and above anyone else, regardless of education, background and experience. As a result, there are loads of unqualified white faced people teaching English in China and Taiwan. Taiwanese also discriminate against Mainland Chinese; they consider themselves to be better educated. While they are correct that they receive a better education in Taiwan as compared to China, they still lag well behind the Western world when it comes to common sense and problem solving.

 

From Lianne Lin's article...

It seemed that image was more important than skill level or qualifications. According to what some schools told me, the reverse racism comes from the parents, who are paying a lot of hard-earned money for their kids to study English and they want to see their kids with an “All-American” white teacher. They don’t believe or understand that an Asian can be a “real” American.

It’s sad to think that some people believe that a person must be Caucasian in order to be a good English teacher. Darker skinned teachers (black, Indian, Filipino, etc.) often have an even harder time getting hired. And Taiwanese citizens may have a pretty easy time finding a job, but no matter how good their English level (some have lived in English speaking countries for many years), they usually get the lowest pay rate of all.

Edited October 28, 2013 by GuangDongExpat (see edit history)

[amberjack1234]

 

Interesting article Dan.

 

But first, I think it's important to say that what the writer described in her article is NOT 'racism' or as she coined in her writing 'reverse rascism'; What she describes is discrimination. Big difference. The Chinese actively discriminate toward job-seekers. The pretty, the handsome, the young are always hired first. But, in this case the reason is not because the employer doesn't like Asian people; it's because their customers, who are Chinese/Taiwanese will always choose the white-faced Westerner over the Asian. When it comes to teaching English, the white faced Westerner will get the job over and above anyone else, regardless of education, background and experience. As a result, there are loads of unqualified white faced people teaching English in China and Taiwan. Taiwanese also discriminate against Mainland Chinese; they consider themselves to be better educated. While they are correct that they receive a better education in Taiwan as compared to China, they still lag well behind the Western world when it comes to common sense and problem solving.

 

From Lianne Lin's article...

It seemed that image was more important than skill level or qualifications. According to what some schools told me, the reverse racism comes from the parents, who are paying a lot of hard-earned money for their kids to study English and they want to see their kids with an “All-American” white teacher. They don’t believe or understand that an Asian can be a “real” American.

 

It’s sad to think that some people believe that a person must be Caucasian in order to be a good English teacher. Darker skinned teachers (black, Indian, Filipino, etc.) often have an even harder time getting hired. And Taiwanese citizens may have a pretty easy time finding a job, but no matter how good their English level (some have lived in English speaking countries for many years), they usually get the lowest pay rate of all.

 

Good to see you posting again Jess.

 

Larry

[Dennis143]

I had no idea of the importance of skin tone/color when I first traveled to China. I quickly learned how northern women would out and out tell me that their ivory skin was much more desirable than those darker southern girls.

 

There's a reason Chinese women use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun and it's not so much about aging of the skin.

 

I recently had a hispanic coworker tell me of his experience in college when he was dating a Chinese girl. Things got a bit serious and when talk of marriage began she told him that she could never marry him without her parents approval and they would only approve her marrying a Chinese man or caucasian.

[NUWORLD]

I had no idea of the importance of skin tone/color when I first traveled to China. I quickly learned how northern women would out and out tell me that their ivory skin was much more desirable than those darker southern girls.

 

There's a reason Chinese women use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun and it's not so much about aging of the skin.

 

I recently had a hispanic coworker tell me of his experience in college when he was dating a Chinese girl. Things got a bit serious and when talk of marriage began she told him that she could never marry him without her parents approval and they would only approve her marrying a Chinese man or caucasian.

 

Dennis i agree with ya.

The first time i went to china the thought of skin and or race never crossed my mind.

I was just another man in a different country.

 

Hong and i both work at the same company with about 90% hispanics.

all the hispanic men like my wife and they all work together very well.

 

But! many times my wife tells me when we get home that many of the hispanic men

want her to let me go and marry them.

 

Hong just says there is no way a chinese woman could marry a hispanic man for the chinese family

would not have good approval.

she tells them that chinese woman only marry chinese man or (as you said) caucasian man.

 

In fact it took almost two years after we were married until i had my wifes parents approval of our marriage.

her parrents hated me for a passion at first.

Now today as i write this post I'm welcomed in the family and well respected as a family member.

 

IMO; One needs to prove there love and respect to the family to be accepted into the family.

Edited October 29, 2013 by NUWORLD (see edit history)

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I had no idea of the importance of skin tone/color when I first traveled to China. I quickly learned how northern women would out and out tell me that their ivory skin was much more desirable than those darker southern girls.

 

There's a reason Chinese women use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun and it's not so much about aging of the skin.

 

I recently had a hispanic coworker tell me of his experience in college when he was dating a Chinese girl. Things got a bit serious and when talk of marriage began she told him that she could never marry him without her parents approval and they would only approve her marrying a Chinese man or caucasian.

 

Nice post Dennis, but I'm pretty sure the topic of this thread is about an American Born Chinese (ABC) girl who moved to Taiwan for three years to teach English.

 

[amberjack1234]

I don't know much about this subject except for what I read from the ESL forum that I belong to and read and they portray it just like Jessy has said at least the ABC girls that have posted there.

 

Larry

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I don't know much about this subject except for what I read from the ESL forum that I belong to and read and they portray it just like Jessy has said at least the ABC girls that have posted there.

 

Larry

Larry, here's a good video that may have been posted on this site a while back, but it tells the story of ABCs working in China very well.

 

Part 1, Culture Shock

 

 

 

Part two

[Randy W]

.

The video-embedding is functionality that is downloaded from a distributed content network. Until that functionality is fully downloaded, your video is interpreted simply as a link to another web page. The downloading occurs while you are editing your post.

 

Once the functionality is downloaded, the board software is smart enough to recognize that it is a YouTube video, and replaces the link with the embedded video.

 

So, usually, if you simply wait long enough, the video embedding app will work, although sometimes it's just lost in the ether.

 

Blame it on cloud and Content Distribution Network technology.

[Dennis143]

 

I had no idea of the importance of skin tone/color when I first traveled to China. I quickly learned how northern women would out and out tell me that their ivory skin was much more desirable than those darker southern girls.

 

There's a reason Chinese women use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun and it's not so much about aging of the skin.

 

I recently had a hispanic coworker tell me of his experience in college when he was dating a Chinese girl. Things got a bit serious and when talk of marriage began she told him that she could never marry him without her parents approval and they would only approve her marrying a Chinese man or caucasian.

 

Nice post Dennis, but I'm pretty sure the topic of this thread is about an American Born Chinese (ABC) girl who moved to Taiwan for three years to teach English.

 

 

You see Jesse, if it ain't about Rock n' Roll or Vietnam, most folks just ain't interested. So, might as well adlib.

[danb]

Hello, to go back to the original subject about an ABC in Taiwan suffering some reverse discrimination when trying to get a job teaching English to locals. I have heard that would probably happen to her in Mainland China as well. I guess they are looking for "palefaces" to teachum good English. Palefaces will receive plenty wampun. Danb

 

PS, on a more serious note and straying from the original subject a bit. I would be interested if she experienced discrimination in the US and which experience was a worst experience?

[Randy W]

Hello, to go back to the original subject about an ABC in Taiwan suffering some reverse discrimination when trying to get a job teaching English to locals. I have heard that would probably happen to her in Mainland China as well. I guess they are looking for "palefaces" to teachum good English. Palefaces will receive plenty wampun. Danb

 

PS, on a more serious note and straying from the original subject a bit. I would be interested if she experienced discrimination in the US and which experience was a worst experience?

 

Two different types of "discrimination". In Mainland China (and apparently Taiwan also), English is taught extensively. But nearly exclusively by Chinese-speakers. While a Chinese can do a better job of "explaining" the intricacies and nuances of the English language, it leaves a large gap, not so much in their KNOWLEDGE of English, but in their ability to communicate with a Westerner.

 

That gap is not only very REAL, it is also a PERCEPTION on the part of someone looking for a teacher - someone who most likely doesn't have the ability themselves to distinguish a GENUINE Western-speaking Chinese who doesn't look the part. Even the school administration is unlikely to be able to judge the Western-speaking ability of their teachers.

 

When they SEE a Westerner, they are immediately recognized as such. Someone who has lived their entire lives in a Western country can much more obviously close that gap, while someone who has simply had the extensive TRAINING that many Chinese students have had can't come close.

 

The ABC who is "suffering some reverse discrimination when trying to get a job teaching English to locals" would find their services in heavy demand in other fields, if they can also communicate effectively in Mandarin. But he locals have no way to judge their ability to communicate with Westerners.

 

I met a guy here in Yulin once who couldn't speak any of the Chinese languages (he was from a SE Asian country, I forget which), but he spoke fluent English with me. I cam imagine he had a LOT of trouble - haven't seen him since (or heard from him - I gave him my phone number).

 

Any discrimination in the U.S. would be against the PERSON (or her Nationality) - fluent English-speaking ability is EXPECTED - Mandarin is not.

[Mick]

My experience with this issue has been a little different than that described in the article. At the school where I taught the last four years I was in China, ABCs were actively recruited. One of the "foreign expert" positions was filled with an ABC every year I was there and, in addition to their teaching duties, they were also given free tuition in the University's Intensive Mandarin Program, which ran every summer. In my third year, I worked with the graduate Journalism Department to facilitate an exchange program with University of California to bring three ABCs to China for a semester as a part of a cultural exchange. Just a few weeks back, I got word that this program was still functioning and now had expanded to five students. Granted, the way this school did things was quite different than most schools in China. Although it is a state school, it was founded by a wealthy businessman from the area as a way to give back to his birthplace.

[danb]

Randy, I have to disagree with you on this one. The discrimination in Taiwan and in the USA would probably be based on nationality or ethnic group. If she did face any discrimination in the states she probably didn't see that being "Chinese" would hurt her or be held against her in China. Danb

[Randy W]

Randy, I have to disagree with you on this one. The discrimination in Taiwan and in the USA would probably be based on nationality or ethnic group. If she did face any discrimination in the states she probably didn't see that being "Chinese" would hurt her or be held against her in China. Danb

 

It's not clear what (if anything) that you disagreed with, but her ancestry (her mother, specifically) is Taiwanese.