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Eileen Park faced 㽶Ƶֱavalanche of anti-Asian hate㽶Ƶֱ after marrying ex-Vancouver mayor

The Korean-American journalist wed Gregor Robertson and relocated to Vancouver

Eileen Park has gone public about an 㽶Ƶֱavalanche of anti-Asian hate㽶Ƶֱ after her wedding to former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson was featured in Vogue.

Along with international acclaim, she said came 㽶Ƶֱsickening㽶Ƶֱ comments including people accusing Robertson of having 㽶Ƶֱyellow fever㽶Ƶֱ and other racist remarks about Park㽶Ƶֱs Korean heritage.

㽶ƵֱThe amount of disgusting direct messages and mentions I got, as a result, made me ill. The fetishization of Asian women is racist. Why? Because it dehumanizes and targets us,㽶Ƶֱ she said in a video posted to social media Sunday.

Vogue㽶Ƶֱs March issue was published the same week six women of Asian descent were killed at the hands of a white gunman who targeted Atlanta-area massage parlors.

The shooting sent a wave of terror through the Asian-American community 㽶Ƶֱ prompting Asian women across the globe to go public with their experiences with racism and sexual harassment.

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㽶ƵֱFor too long, Asian women all over the world, like me, have had to keep quiet and eat our own bitterness, and I just can㽶Ƶֱt keep quiet anymore,㽶Ƶֱ the former journalist said.

Park, who is Korean-America, said she and Robertson met at a climate summit in Copenhagen in 2019 when she was communications director for Portland㽶Ƶֱs mayor. At the time, Robertson was an ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors.

The now-wife said she experienced racism while working in politics and when she was a reporter.

㽶ƵֱIt can be anything as small as someone saying 㽶Ƶֱwhere are you really from㽶Ƶֱ or it can be something as big as someone spreading a rumour about you in a professional setting saying 㽶Ƶֱyou must have slept your way to the top㽶Ƶֱ just by virtue of being an Asian woman,㽶Ƶֱ she said.

㽶ƵֱCovert racism (is) these microaggressions, these everyday microaggressions that happen to women.㽶Ƶֱ

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sarah.grochowski@bpdigital.ca

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