Stereotypes & scare tactics at the nail salon
Yesterday I went to get my nails done by a couple that moved here only three years ago from China. When I told them I would be going to India for a couple of months the first thing they said was "Oh no! Be careful. They rape women there!”
They proceeded to tell me that when they first arrived in the U.S. they lived in a California motel where most of their neighbors were Indian. In his broken English the husband shared his clearly jaded memories of his Indian neighbors eating the same food "every single day", and claimed 100 people shared a communal meal pot. He translated his wife's disbelief that "they used their fingers to cook and eat without washing". He also decided to educate me about the "fact" that Indians usually abort their girl babies. When I pointed out that in China there is the same problem with more men than women because of similar child rearing gender preference, he calmly explained- "It's different. We just abandon girls- we don't kill them!"
I am not sure why I received this unsolicited advice since I did not indicate that I was planning to have a baby while in India, or cook food in my hotel with other residents (Why would I given I don't cook now?). More interesting is the fact that I have heard the same stereotypical made by this recently immgrated Chinese man comments applied to recently immigrated Chinese individuals!
I can't ignore the fact that since I announced my travel plans to India a number of people have had no problem giving me "advice" based upon negative stereotypes and scare tactics that border on/ cross over to racism. Here are some more examples:
Because there are so few women Indian men they are desperate for sex. They will go crazy if they see me eating/ walking/ talking/ breathing alone and I will be raped- I should really consider getting a Taser. (I am the last person you want holding a Taser as I have no problem using it if I am looked at wrong).
I need to be careful where I talk/ touch/ breathe because someone had a friend of a friend of a friend from elementary school get sick from some still unknown virus. He did not get medical attention in India and died when he got back from the Western European country he came from. (Note, the second time the story was told the dead man was alive and had just returned very sick.)
I have to cover my ankles, and hair because displaying them would be considered it is too sexy and I can be imprisoned for doing this. (Fortunately, it seems like the other clothing in my closet is fine since I've received no comments about my Miami wardrobe).
I realize that any of these "stories" could be drawn from true stories or experiences. But are they really that unique or specific to India? Why did no one give me advice like this when I was going to Brazil last year- remember tourists were raped on private buses? Individuals’ willingness to openly and repeatedly share dire warnings about about India- a vast and diverse country that cannot be represented by one or two incidents- says a lot about social, cultural and political biases many people hold.
