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By Akon Angara
Australia is an undeniably multicultural country, which is reflected in our cuisine and lifestyle. One in four Australians were born overseas, 46% have at least one parent born overseas, and nearly 20% speak a different language other than English at home. Infused with many different cultures, we have a wide diversity within our population.
However, this diversity does not mean that there isn’t racism, bigotry, and ignorance. The xenophobia and racism within the nation is all too normalised, and its normalisation means that the issues are not taken seriously and properly addressed. These prevalent issues only allow one question to remain: What makes a true Australian, and the Australian identity?
Australia’s colonial past and continual mistreatment of Indigenous people must be acknowledged by the nation. Colonial history has impacted our present in many more ways than we can imagine, and has destroyed thousands of years worth of culture. The countless attempts to eradicate Aboriginal culture has taken a huge toll on the community, and has erased the history of the Indigenous people.
Even now, they are mocked for embracing their heritage, and as a whole are heavily targeted and the racism towards them is very casual through jokes and stereotypes. Although many ethnicities have stereotypes, the stereotypes made towards Indigenous Australians are extremely offensive, and associate Indigenous Australians with negative characteristics. Choosing to believe and feed into harmful stereotypes can perpetuate stereotypes and is a form of discrimination.
To claim to be a proud Australia, and yet discriminate against our First Nations peoples is blatant hypocrisy. We cannot be proud of a nation if we first do not acknowledge its history of genocide, and the systemic racism that affects Indigenous Australians to this day.
But the discrimination does not stop there. Australia itself is a very diverse country, however it seems as though everyone who isn’t white is mocked for their culture and race. Although this racism manifests in a very different form, under the guise of light hearted jokes, the ill and racist intentions behind them remain. How can we call our country a multicultural country if we don’t accept those who are of different races and ethnicities?
The issue of xenophobia in Australia has also been normalised. By immediately associating people of colour with negative characteristics, we perpetuate xenophobia. With the rise of COVID-19, anti-Chinese racism has increased. One in five Chinese Australians have been physically threatened or attacked because of their Chinese heritage, and more than eight in ten Asian Australians report discrimination during the pandemic.
Despite Australia’s rich migration history, xenophobia in Australia continues to increase. Many Australians have experienced xenophobia and racism, and it can begin as early as primary school. Being singled out for your race or being harassed because of stereotypes are experiences that are all too familiar.
Being born to immigrant parents, I have had my fair share of discrimination. Having common stereotypes made about my culture, and being avoided because of them is common; Something that started when I was too young to even understand how racism worked. The toll it took on me was extreme, and I felt isolated and insecure of my culture. Nobody should have to feel that way, especially in a country that takes pride in its multiculturalism.
Ignoring the issues that Australia has in terms of racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination will not get rid of them. It will only continue to perpetuate and normalise these issues, as well as have people assume that it’s okay. Silence is compliance.
By accepting and respecting one another’s cultures, we can build a modern and multicultural country that we can all be proud of, and build an Australian identity that truly defines the multiculturalism we have.
Sources:
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/face-facts-cultural-diversity
https://amp.abc.net.au/article/12834324
https://apac.news/rise-in-xenophobia-in-australia/