Thread: It's been two years since Image gave me pushback for pitching AMERICANIZASIAN to them. Yesterday I was informed they've tweeted #StopAsianHate and put out a list of AAPI creators to support, so I'd like to talk about what that means in the context of AMERICANIZASIAN. 1/
For those who don't know, here's a summary: The Image partner I pitched to described my comics as "angry," with no relatable story, & didn't talk about AsAm issues in the "right way." They later shifted to legality as their reason to not publish. 2/ https://twitter.com/Joshua_Luna/status/1134522555744866304
I know my comics make people uncomfortable. That's the point—anti-Asian racism is uncomfortable. It's violent & hateful. You don't fix it by hand-holding bigots & coddling their feelings. You do it by holding up a mirror to their behavior to let their bigotry speak for itself. 3/
I haven't spoken much about this, but it's important to know who's happy that Image didn't publish AMERICANIZASIAN: bigots with white supremacist ideologies. I was already getting harassed prior to speaking publicly about Image, but afterwards it turned into a feeding frenzy. 4/
Thousands of Nazis regularly repost & denigrate my work, calling me anti-Asian slurs & other hateful terms: fl*p, ch*nk, g**k, Filipino/island n*gg*r, ricecel/incel MRAsian, autist, b*tch etc. They post photos of me to mock my features & edit swastikas & Hitler onto my comics. 5/
These are loud white supremacists—the ones so-called progressives will easily denounce. But I've also been harassed by "quiet" bigots who push to deplatform me through blacklisting & DMs. They used to do it publicly until they realized it tarnished their image as progressives. 6/
All of these reactions prove what I already knew—I *am* talking about AsAm issues in the "right way." Because if white supremacists & their enablers aren't deeply bothered about how you talk about race & doing everything they can to stop you, are you even talking about race? 7/
I know I'm not the "good Asian" Image wants to promote. I know they resent me for publicly calling them out. I'd genuinely like to believe this new push for AAPI voices & content shows remorse & growth, but growth can't happen without owning up to & acknowledging past harm. 8/
So if Image wants to #StopAsianHate , they have to do more than use the hashtag & quietly include me in their list of AAPI creators. They have to acknowledge & rectify how they treated me. Otherwise, it's hypocritical at best, & a gross attempt at PR damage control at worst. 9/
And the irony is not lost on me that Image is tweeting these things during #AsianPacificHeritageMonth #AAPIHM #APAHM 10/10
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