Discrimination against East and Southeast Asians in the UK

I’ve been called an immigrant by a stranger while walking to Gloucester Green at one point. I’ve also been spat on by the homeless woman pushing a doll in her pram (she’s the menace lurking around Cornmarket Street) and got called a chink. My friends have told me about random people coming up to them and displaying Kung Fu moves mockingly – which is frankly embarrassing for a student in Oxford.

45% of the ESEA community have been subject to hate crimes from 2023 to 2024, according to a study by University of Leicester and Protection Approaches. Immigration continues to be a lightning-rod issue, never mind the fact that universities in the UK are propped up by foreign funding.

The subtle racism that impedes careers affects Asians as well. Fortunately there are programs that are tailored to bridging this divide. Shoutout to Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London for opening its doors to Asians.

Taking the proactive step as an outsider

Then again, I know of many international students who, despite flying hours and being miles from home, continue to stick with people from their ethnic communities instead of reaching out to tap on the diverse student body. If I could encourage any readers – please, reach out to people. Don’t retreat into your comfort zones of people with whom you feel familiar with. It’s better to speak in halting English than to let the language barrier come in the way of forming new friendships.

That said, I would definitely encourage any student going to the UK to brush up on English ability. I think it is a basic form of respect to show that you are trying to integrate in a foreign land – the number of times I’ve been judged for my poor mandarin in China shows that the feeling is probably universal!

Oxford tends to be a bit more of a bubble, and the progressive environment also helps to stem racism. While my experience in Oxford has been largely favourable, I have personally seen a Chinese student getting taunted with accusations that she is a communist by a few White men. Racism still lurks, even among these hallowed halls of the supposedly educated. Keep your chin up, know that you’ve earned your place in this school, and pray that these ignorant racist buggers may grow up one day.