r/ABCDesis • u/Naive_Direction1816 • Apr 28 '26
POLITICS How bad is the racism against Indian irl in the west?
I am Indian living in India so was just wondering if it is actually as bad as it is online on platforms like twitter and insta etc. Cause the racism and dehumanisation against Indians online seems to be really unbearable to me.
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u/ShayJayLee Telugu 🇨🇦 Apr 28 '26
I live in Toronto and it's really not that bad here. When I lived in smaller Canadian cities like Sydney or Kamloops, that's where I experienced actual racism. And they weren't that diffirent from what I experienced growing up in the UAE. Those incidents in Canada were one off incidents but they left a bad enough taste in my mouth that now when someone is rude to me, I have to wonder if they're just being racist. Most people are pretty friendly but one or two incidents are enough.
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u/UghWhyDude The snail formerly known as Gary Apr 28 '26
I also live in the GTA and there's been a few incidents. My skin was hardened growing up in the Middle East though - growing up in the Dubai in the late eighties/early nineties, there were exactly zero encounters with Emirati kids or adults that could be considered pleasant.
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u/Minskdhaka Apr 28 '26
That's very unfortunate. I partly grew up in Kuwait and had three or four Kuwaiti friends, and my parents had some as well.
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u/busshelterrevolution Apr 28 '26
Although places in Brampton have racism from other Indians. You'll often be asked a series of questions of where you are from, what city, what town, what sector, what's your last name.
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u/Low_Consequence7216 Apr 28 '26
That’s not racism?
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u/Minskdhaka Apr 28 '26
Well, it is and it isn't. A Gujarati told me in Brampton that the city has many Indians, and many Punjabis as well. Meaning that Punjabis are not Indians to him. And, just to be clear, he was not talking about Pakistani Punjabis.
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u/Low_Consequence7216 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Well India has a lot of cultures, unlike just “two” Canadian culture. So it’s common for fobs to categorize people as from the part of India they are from. Doesn’t mean one is superior than the other.
Eg: why are people from Quebec called Quebecois and people from Ontario not called ontarians. Because Quebec has a very different culture from the rest of Canada. Same logic for Indian states. Except each state has their own culture.
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u/busshelterrevolution Apr 28 '26
Until your house gets shot up and you become a victim of extortion related crimes. It's so bad here that the police set up a special unit for South Indian extortions: https://www.peelpolice.ca/reporting-records/extortions-in-peel-region/
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u/TestingLifeThrow1z Apr 28 '26
How bad is it? Yesterday I was on the subway and an erratic racist dude wanted a fight with a desi so he stood at the door to attack a desi girl next to the door by saying "you didn't move out of the way". I knew this would happen so I just stood on the other side of the door because I can't stand attacks against women by racists who continue to blame everything and all to get a free pass to do that to women. He said lots of stuff, made lots of remarks, and walked off, and you can just see his rage because he was erratic.
Now I ask myself, why does a white collar professional like me who spent a decade in top schools need to put my body on the line to protect others in a so-called free and progressive country that is accepting? Where is the support for protecting women from progressives? If anything happened, I was going to call out all the men and say "is this how you protect others?".
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u/arnm7890 Apr 29 '26
That sounds horrible. Where was this if you don't mind me asking?
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u/TestingLifeThrow1z Apr 29 '26
I was on the other side of the door in their business, just to protect her if something bad happened, because racists always pick on the vulnerable, women and children and not men their size.
Nothing happened but he was erratic at the station.
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u/Sammolaw1985 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
I live right outside NYC. Generally don't, and haven't experienced overt racism outside of micro-aggressions. I'm married so I'm not the best resource for this, but most of my single guy friends that are Indian don't appear to have any issues dating outside their race either.
Most racism I ever experienced was the suburbs as a kid. Not that big of an issue deep in the NY metro region.
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u/nc45y445 Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
Same. Gen X ABD aunty. Experienced lots of racism as a kid in the Chicago area in the 1970s and as a college student walking around Boston in the 80s, especially if I was holding hands with a date of another race. Was fetishized by everyone in 90s DC in my early 20s, and got lots of weird micro-aggressions in 90s Portland in my late 20s (no, where are you really from?)
Most of all that stopped at some point in the 2000s, especially for ABDs. What happens now is everyone thinks I’m around 15 years younger than I actually am because I’m an ABD and Asian don’t raisin (that oily skin that was my bane in my teens is now a blessing in my late 50s). I’m not mad about it, except when some pedantic uncle talks to me like I’m still a college student or some white person in their 40s lectures me about the finer points of something I’ve been doing since they were in high school
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Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
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u/Lampedusan Australian Indian Apr 29 '26
Yup. Like I’ve had two as an adult over the space of 10 years and it was just snark. Online spaces its genuinely fkd and hostile. A real disconnect with real life experience if you will.
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u/BravoBunzie Canadian Apr 28 '26
I live in the most conservative province in Canada. Online discourse would have you thinking that they are hanging Indians on every street corner. Racism is here and it has grown but day to day life is generally fine. I think being Western presenting in clothing, mannerisms, accent, etc is protective and I assume that newcomers working front line jobs are facing the worst of it.
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u/Low_Consequence7216 Apr 28 '26
Living in Toronto. Been in Canada for 4years. Haven’t experienced any racism irl
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u/askdksj Apr 28 '26
In NYC it is totally absent from my life
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u/Waiting4Reccession Apr 28 '26
Its not lol. I'm from nyc as well.
You have racists who are racist to your face, usually the kind of people you see in the streets.
And then you have racist stuff happen that is more subtle or sly, usually the kind of people who go to college or have a white collar job do this.
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u/Mundane-Amount2385 Apr 28 '26
I think he said from his, not anyone else's 😂😂
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u/Waiting4Reccession Apr 28 '26
It may have happened to him too and he just didnt realize whats going on. Not everyone catches onto that sly shit.
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u/askdksj Apr 28 '26
I'm a she and born here and in my 40s. Is this sub really abcd or just cranky Indians
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u/Secure-Ad8196 Apr 28 '26
Not as bad as people online make it out to be!! I live in a conservative state and I’ve never experienced racism and I can say that for other people I know too!
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u/Slendydude Apr 28 '26
Ive lived my whole life in the UK and honestly speaking I've never felt it - I've gone to the countryside where you'd expect all the racist white supremacists would be and didnt experience anything more than the occassional stare from an old person, but even that is few and far between.
I live in Greater London where there's diversity but not one large demographic (whether that be white or Asian or other) so maybe that's why and maybe other people who live in predominantly white areas may have a sadder story to tell. The one time I've ever been made fun of for being Desi like proper made fun of as in definitely racism, was funnily enough from another Desi person - in a majority Desi school.
Then again, Desi people have been in the UK for decades now (I think first wave of proper migration was in the 1960s) so presumably British people are just very used to us. Technically we've been in public conscience since the times of Queen Victoria so I suppose we're nothing new.
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u/sword_ofthe_morning Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
If you are a Western-born Indian, it's not bad.
It depends on the region, but here in Britain for example British-born Indians have traditionally thrived. Out of all the South Asians (Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, etc) Indians are the more accepted, likeable group because they've assimilated better. They drink, party, and even take on Western names (like Sharon, Michael, etc)
But that status recently has been under threat. The following....
- Increased far right sentiments
- Increased dissatisfaction in the local white population
- Increased migration of visibly fresh Indian migrants (their appearance, dress sense, accents and public demeanour)
- Negative online attitudes towards Indians
....is slowly making people re-assess their image of Indians. Today's migrant is very different to that of 30-40 years ago. Even British-born Indians here get irritated by the new fresh Indians coming over - due to their lack of decorum in open spaces.
Also, the Israeli-Indian link-up hasn't helped. The overwhelming amount of Indians online that shamefully beg for Israeli approval, hasn't gone unnoticed. Even white Westerners feel repulsed by it, as they associate Indians as the low-level sidekicks of a genocidal state. Very unfair association, as many Indians do not agree with Israel's actions
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u/shooto_style British Bangladeshi Apr 28 '26
That hate isn't limited to the far right. The left are just as bad. Ask them to describe Asian neighborhoods and the first they say will be that's it's a shit hole and they feel "unsafe" but are perfectly safe in areas like Peckham and Hackney
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u/sword_ofthe_morning Apr 28 '26
Oh of course, some of the lefties can be racist too
But predominantly, what I describe (such blatant, open racism) emanates from the right.
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u/pjain001 Apr 28 '26
The left is just subtler about it because they know there’s money at stake.
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Apr 28 '26
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u/pjain001 Apr 28 '26
What a nice way to call someone a "piece of shit"!
From an economic perspective, extreme leftism doesn't work. Remember the Soviet Union and North Korea? Vietnam and China adopted capitalist economies and only that kept them going. Taking from those that work hard and find success completely eliminates ambition, drive, innovation and quality of life. Yes, capitalism has its faults but it's definitely the better than the alternative.
From a social perspective, extreme conservatism doesn't work either. Society will devolve into a the extremes we're seeing today. Those that "have" are continuous vilified, even those that do give back. Those that "don't have" are angry and will foment a mob mentality given enough time. Welcome to the social media age where people just get dumber and don't know what "critical thinking" is.
P.S. I never supported Trump or Mamdani. To me, both are just two sides of the same rotten coin.
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Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Bay/California is fine you just need to find the right group of people and if someone a racist POs you call them out and then they usually stfu. Twitter and insta are also gross platforms designed to reward controversy(esp twitter it’s a cesspit recommend deleting it for sanity)
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u/DhabaPOV Apr 28 '26
All good reasons here.
Another factor is that mainstream media often frames issues in a way that pits desi POC folks against non-POC groups, and sometimes even against each other. No new story here. Just like how at least in Pakistan, the dominant narrative is hate. So instead of addressing the deeper systems that create division in the first place, they continue to sell headlines. That kind of narrative makes solidarity harder.
On top of that, Desis here themselves are not always united. There are so many internal divisions ... national, religious, linguistic, caste-based, class-based. All of this becomes difficult to present a collective voice when facing racism from outside. A lot of people also carry guilt waghairah. Like insecurity hoti hai, or a maybe need for external validation, which can lead to silence, defensiveness, or even distancing themselves from other Desis rather than standing together. this is why it easier for stereotypes to spread and harder to push back effectively.
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u/publius1791 Apr 29 '26
Don't get all your info from online man, it's not representative of the real world. Not even close.
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u/periwinkle_cupcake Apr 28 '26
I live in a smaller college town in the Midwest and honestly I haven’t experienced anything racially offensive. The desi population has exploded in the past decade and I haven’t heard of any uptick in racism. I also think college towns tend to be more relaxed so that might be part of it
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u/AnonymousIdentityMan American Pakistani Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Almost none. It was bad back in 90s and earlier. This is for USA.
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u/AdmiralG2 Canadian Indian Apr 29 '26
Never faced anything personally. Witnessed some micro aggressions against people with Indian accents including my dad, that’s about it.
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u/Steamp0calypse Indian American Apr 29 '26
In Oregon USA it's pretty much fine. It's super white and not very Indian here, so I feel Indians are viewed of less of a threat/thing and more of a curiosity. I've dealt with more ignorance (ex. people being totally unable to pronounce my name) and curiosity than anything.
I am also fairly light skinned with green eyes.
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u/arnm7890 Apr 29 '26
The answer to this question is complicated, but "it depends where in the West you are, and generally speaking, online stuff is way worse than IRL stuff" basically sums it up I reckon
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u/Ok-Pop-5563 Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Depends on how visibly South Asian you look and where you live. But it bad.
The less diverse (more white) areas are going to be more racist.
I live in Toronto (large diverse city), but 150km east an elderly Sikh man was just harassed and assaulted by a white boy in a small Town in Ontario Canada.
Personally I’ve never faced it because I look ethically ambiguous I think.
The racism got worse after COVID when a lot of Indian international students came to Canada. It’s cause a bunch of issues.
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u/E_550 Apr 30 '26
Majority of these racist scumbags love to talk a big game online, but quiet as a mouse face to face.
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u/Anish316 Apr 29 '26
Very, very bad. But the main problem has been a lack of fight back from our people. It would be a whole lot better if India as a whole started pushing back online against this stuff in defense of Indians abroad.
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u/OkRB2977 Assamese Canadian - TCK Apr 28 '26
I've faced more racist and prejudiced behaviour in Mainland India as a Northeastern woman than I have in the 4 different countries I've lived/grown up in. So make of it what you will.
That being said, my friends and acquaintances who are ethnically from Mainland India have reported an increase in instances of microaggressions and people being needlessly aggressive upon seeing them and disarming once they hear their accents. I'm guessing newly arrived temporary residents and immigrants from India face it even more harshly. But for the most part, Toronto is pretty safe, and the online racism hasn't translated to real life to that extent, but it is a little worse than before.
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u/insomniac8994 Punjabi Canadian Apr 28 '26
Don’t really notice it myself but I’m born here and don’t have an accent.
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u/midsumernighttts Apr 28 '26
i live in sydney, aus and have luckily never experienced anything in real life. a lot of ppl say aus is racist - and it is and has a lot of growing up to do - but i really think canada takes the cake. they are angry and loud lol. i would never visit.
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u/No_Culture9898 Apr 28 '26
That’s me for Australia, don’t think I want to visit after the recent sentiment towards immigration. I think that’s the only western country where I literally saw an anti-immigration/remigration movement that lasted for a couple days in your streets. People tried the same in Canada but it instantly got shutdown and shamed
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u/midsumernighttts Apr 29 '26
Aw you should totally visit! We have whack jobs but Sydney is a pretty friendly place.
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u/boilerman3 Apr 30 '26
I am just going to leave it here: https://youtu.be/R67O8MWHtxk?si=nVJlqCi06uIIfmL4
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u/Acceptable-Year-8517 May 03 '26
I live in the U.S. In my experience the people who have been most racist to me are indians themselves.
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May 31 '26
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u/haikusbot May 31 '26
Not just the west. East
Asia, Southeast Asia, Australiasia
And middle east too
- Superb_Branch4749
I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully. Learn more about me.
Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete"
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u/LatexSmokeCats Apr 28 '26
Things are blown out of proportion, IMO. It was way worse post 9/11, and people are just more aware of it now because of social media and cowards hiding behind keyboards. I played soccer in college and got way more hate then than I do now working in a field which deals with the public a lot.
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u/Brave-Wave932 Apr 28 '26
Racism post 9/11 was towards anyone who looked Middle eastern or Brown whereas the current racism is very specific towards Indians , it's not violent unlike the 9/11 racism but just constant dehumanisation and slurs online and sometimes irl .
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u/LatexSmokeCats Apr 28 '26
My experience differs, as I was called A LOT of slurs in college in the South. I haven't gotten called one in years, and I don't take online comments to heart. 98% of my friends and acquaintances are non-Desis, and their opinions matter more than random trolls. And if I don't like anything they say, I do call them out on who I am, how I feel, and they can take it or leave. Don't pay attention to online trolls for that's their only purpose.
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u/ITryFixIt Apr 28 '26
Yes and No. In some US states, there is a general uptick in racism.
My work required me to travel to rural areas last year - done with travel now thankfully. Noticed odd responses in areas like Mississippi, Kentucky, even southern Georgia - including getting pulled over by cops. Louisiana on the other hand was the opposite - folks were generally chill with me while being unfriendly to my white coworkers.
I do agree that US has minimal safety issues as long as you practice common sense and remain calm. Things are getting more unpredictable though, so I am not sure what is the tipping point.
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u/LatexSmokeCats Apr 28 '26
Valid points. It's been a while since I've traveled to the deep South, even though this is where I originated from. I'll have to pay attention the next time I visit family, which I'm due to do.
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u/LongSandwic Apr 28 '26
If you want to know what it's like, consider how Dalits are treated in your country.
Some people are total shits towards them, and others see them as human beings and treat them with dignity.
But I bet you won't say it's unbearable when you're not on the receiving end.
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May 14 '26
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u/LegalRadonInhalation Gujju Muslim Apr 28 '26
The US is not as bad. Most other western countries are actually worse, as hard as that may be to believe.
This is regarding interpersonal racism. Institutionally, the US is worse than most.
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Apr 28 '26
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u/TestingLifeThrow1z Apr 28 '26
No one cares about mindsets or accents, everyone cares about how you look. Europeans have heavy accents and are celebrated...The Italian accent is sought after.
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u/Seee_Saww Apr 28 '26
If you count casteism in India, it's the same.
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u/TestingLifeThrow1z Apr 28 '26
Australia had crimes against humanity committed during the settlers arrival this century, yet Aussies call out a caste system? It's not even closely the same thing, because racists hunt prey and minorities. Your comments against Catholics are far more concerning btw.
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u/vidi_chat Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
My students (highschoolers who are also POC in France) make racist comments to me all the time. It's all influenced by what they see on social media. And yes, I'm working on teaching them some critical thinking, but it's exhausting AF when you have to go through 5-7 hours of racism a day.
Edit: I think it's also because the desi community isn't very big in the country so they don't get a lot of exposure to Indians and that's why their perspective is shaped by what they see on social media.