YOU ARE SO ASIAN! – PAUL’S STORY

Paul was having a conversation with his Chinese friend in a coffee shop when they got into an argument. It was not heated, but it was tense. As the discussion unfolded, Paul found himself getting frustrated and said, "That is very Asian of you! You just want to close the conversation so fast and avoid conflicts."

At that moment, Paul did not realize how hurtful those words were. He saw his friend\'s reaction, the hurt in his eyes, the silence that followed, and it made Paul realize that he was leaning into a stereotype to make a point. In doing so, he disrespected his friend as an individual.

Paul is French, half Portuguese, and where he comes from, bluntness is often celebrated. He had spent years learning Chinese, traveling to China, and immersing himself in the culture. He thought he was aware. But here is the truth, no amount of knowledge makes you immune to unconscious bias.

What Paul learned is that bluntness, when unchecked, can quickly turn into insensitivity. To unmask his own unconscious biases, he started asking himself one important question before speaking: is this culturally sensitive?

Unconscious bias does not make someone a bad person, it makes them human. What matters is how we confront it, take responsibility, learn from our mistakes, and grow. None of us are beyond learning or unlearning.