The Oysters of Stereotype Taste Bitter

It was when I lived in Britain.

‘I can’t understand why Japanese people can eat raw fish. It’s disgusting!’

The British guy sat next to me in the pub told me so… with eating raw oysters.

I told him what he was eating is actually raw fish. And then, he said:

‘Oh… you’re right. I never thought like that…sorry.’

And now, with a sigh, I recall the conversation. 

It is because recently I made the same mistake as him.

People making discriminations tend to keep unnoticed that they can put themselves in the similar situation with the people they discriminate.

For example, once I met the person who thinks poor people tend to be criminals. She thought so as poverty deprives people of choices. But, she would not have many choices when she doesn’t have so much money in her purse. If someone tells her ‘Oh! You don’t have much money now. Please don’t steal money from me, criminal!’ she would feel hurt.

Also, a Japanese politician once said ‘same-sex lovers don’t have any productivity as they can’t have children’. But I’m sure she cannot have children by herself and she would feel really annoyed if someone tells her (when she enjoys coffee alone) ‘You should find someone to have sex right now to have children’.

Recently, I saw a woman saying that it’s OK to make white-only fashion magazine if it focuses on Paris where white people are majority. But she would get angry if she tries to travel to Paris but is denied because the immigration officer decides only white people can travel to Paris as it is the place where white people are majority.

They just need to think little more open-minded, but they just don’t notice that. 

… Actually, for me, it was the same.

I was told that same-sex couple does not take responsibility of having children. I got really mad and tweeted ‘I don’t dare to have children in Japan, where people discriminate LGBTQ+ people publicly.’. Then, a same-sex couple who have a child told me it’s really rude to them, who actually have children in Japan. They are totally right. I made a big, big mistake, which should not be forgiven.

To avoid making such a mistake, you should
-Think twice before you say something publicly
-And if you make mistake, admit it.
Even it is really difficult in this fast-moving and chaotic world. Even you feel really terrible.

This is what, with one more deep sigh, I tell myself.