Kelly Marie Tran speaking out for the first time since she deleted all her posts on Instagram earlier this year, in an essay for The New York Times. The move was widely believed to be about the harassment she’s received, something she confirms here, but it’s also part of a larger picture, part of growing up “as a person of color in a white-dominated world.”
I won’t quote much more, as the piece needs to be read in its entirety. I know, it’s the internet, we don’t click links anymore, it’s the NYT and they have a paywall. Open up a different browser. Read it on another computer/device. But it’s important to read it.
Harassment is never okay. Harassing someone over their race, their gender, or because you don’t find them attractive is not the exception. Saying mean things about someone because you didn’t like a movie isn’t either. I don’t know why people seem to need a reminder that just because you can be an ass on the internet doesn’t mean you should. And just because you haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened to someone else.
Here’s a quick lesson in how to properly pronounce her real name, Loan:
Vietnamese lesson #1 – Kelly Marie Tran’s real name is Loan. Loan is pronounced “low on” but said really fast with emphasis on the “on” part. Just a friendly FYI since I know you’re all out there saying Loan like car loan.
— Kim Iversen (@KimOnTheLeft) August 21, 2018