why the word rat is a slur, so some of you can finally get it through your skull to stop calling atsumu a rat.
historically, racism against asians has always been normalized. the first racially based immigration law passed in the U.S is the chinese immigration act of 1862. during the gold rush, racism against chinese people was brutal and commonplace;
a notable example is the chinese massacre of 1871. a mob of 500 hispanics and whites entered and lynched residents of chinatown. so anti-asian sentiment has always been prominent. with this, let's talk about yellow peril.
yellow peril is the idea that east asians are an existential threat to the white world. it's a white supremacist term that was reclaimed by asians. the books below (pub. 1911/1920) propose that china or japan would unite the colored people and lead an uprising against the whites.
yellow peril is the idea that east asians are an existential threat to the white world. it's a white supremacist term that was reclaimed by asians. the books below (pub. 1911/1920) propose that china or japan would unite the colored people and lead an uprising against the whites.
yellow peril is the idea that east asians are an existential threat to the white world. it's a white supremacist term that was reclaimed by asians. the books below (pub. 1911/1920) propose that china or japan would unite the colored people and lead an uprising against the whites.
even as early as the late 1800s, white countries experienced a mounting fear of the "other races" who were becoming more powerful. but as world war II hit and japan bombed pearl harbor, the west was thrown into a frenzy of anti-asian propaganda. (BELOW: ANTI-CHINESE ART, 1870s)
even as early as the late 1800s, white countries experienced a mounting fear of the "other races" who were becoming more powerful. but as world war II hit and japan bombed pearl harbor, the west was thrown into a frenzy of anti-asian propaganda. (BELOW: ANTI-CHINESE ART, 1870s)
even as early as the late 1800s, white countries experienced a mounting fear of the "other races" who were becoming more powerful. but as world war II hit and japan bombed pearl harbor, the west was thrown into a frenzy of anti-asian propaganda. (BELOW: ANTI-CHINESE ART, 1870s)
even as early as the late 1800s, white countries experienced a mounting fear of the "other races" who were becoming more powerful. but as world war II hit and japan bombed pearl harbor, the west was thrown into a frenzy of anti-asian propaganda. (BELOW: ANTI-CHINESE ART, 1870s)
even as early as the late 1800s, white countries experienced a mounting fear of the "other races" who were becoming more powerful. but as world war II hit and japan bombed pearl harbor, the west was thrown into a frenzy of anti-asian propaganda. (BELOW: ANTI-CHINESE ART, 1870s)
the U.S specifically mass produced propaganda depicting Japanese people as vermin; usually rats. these caricatures served to dehumanize Japanese people in the U.S and exposed them to brutal racism (this extended to all Asians, most Americans couldn't differentiate JP/non JP)
the U.S specifically mass produced propaganda depicting Japanese people as vermin; usually rats. these caricatures served to dehumanize Japanese people in the U.S and exposed them to brutal racism (this extended to all Asians, most Americans couldn't differentiate JP/non JP)
the U.S specifically mass produced propaganda depicting Japanese people as vermin; usually rats. these caricatures served to dehumanize Japanese people in the U.S and exposed them to brutal racism (this extended to all Asians, most Americans couldn't differentiate JP/non JP)
the U.S specifically mass produced propaganda depicting Japanese people as vermin; usually rats. these caricatures served to dehumanize Japanese people in the U.S and exposed them to brutal racism (this extended to all Asians, most Americans couldn't differentiate JP/non JP)
the U.S specifically mass produced propaganda depicting Japanese people as vermin; usually rats. these caricatures served to dehumanize Japanese people in the U.S and exposed them to brutal racism (this extended to all Asians, most Americans couldn't differentiate JP/non JP)
THE GOVERNMENT WAS PRODUCING THESE POSTERS, THIS PROPAGANDA. RAT is a racist term engrained in xenophobic history. do not call east asian people rats.

[REST]
i should probably add that this isn't a defense of japanese imperialism or japan's actions during world war II. this is a post designed to help you understand the history behind the discriminatory meaning that rat takes when you use it against east asians. ok that's all <3
some people have been asking, so i'll clarify! imo "rat" is a slur when used against any east asians. though the term was popularized through usage against japanese people, chinese people were actually called rats before the japanese were, when the american government started +
blaming Chinese immigrants for smallpox:

“I unhesitatingly declare my belief that the cause is the presence in our midst of 30,000 (as a class) of... lying and treacherous Chinese rats, who have disregarded our sanitary laws... are concealing their cases of smallpox,”
that's a quote from health officer J.L. Meares in 1875. and when the bubonic plague came back, the city of San Francisco's first reaction was to quarantine the chinese. this association of the chinese with disease ALSO led to chinese ppl/asians being called rats.
“A common trope in American popular culture was that the Chinese ate rats and lived in filthy, overcrowded quarters."
- Princeton University history professor Beth Lew-Williams.
Chinese ppl were also banned from hospitals, creating associations between POC and uncleanliness.
tw // blood, gore, animal death

North Koreans (often, their leaders) have also been demonized in the media and portrayed as rats.
tw // blood, gore, animal deathNorth Koreans (often, their leaders) have also been demonized in the media and portrayed as rats.
tw // blood, gore, animal deathNorth Koreans (often, their leaders) have also been demonized in the media and portrayed as rats.
tw // blood, gore, animal deathNorth Koreans (often, their leaders) have also been demonized in the media and portrayed as rats.
tw // blood, gore, animal deathNorth Koreans (often, their leaders) have also been demonized in the media and portrayed as rats.
i'm defining slur as any word that refers to a minority in a derogatory/pejorative way AND carries appropriately heavy historical context to go along with the word. yes, rat carries a pre-existing meaning, but when used against east asians it becomes a slur due to context.
ITT someone corrected me, and i conclude that a SLUR is a word that should NEVER be used, while a derogatory term should not be used in certain contexts! so i think our conclusion is that rat is a derogatory term towards asians... muting this now. thank you all for your input <3
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