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HBO series creator Issa Rae draws flak for calling Pinoy men the ‘blacks of Asians’

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/entertainment/05/03/issa-rae-2-2018-2018-050218.jpg"/><figcaption>Issa Rae poses for a photo at the Sundance Film Festival back in January. <em>Issa Rae&#x27;s Instagram account</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>It&#x27;s been 3 years since Issa Rae, star and creator of the HBO series &quot;Insecure,&quot; published a book about her life titled &quot;The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.&quot;</p><p>But it&#x27;s apparent that not everyone picked it up then, given the recent outrage sparked by an excerpt that described Filipino men as the &quot;blacks of Asians,&quot; which some reports highlighted. </p><p>The particular line can be found inside a chapter about why successful black women and Asian men should just date each other. This was Rae&#x27;s tongue-in-cheek solution to her observation that both groups have a bad reputation when it comes to dating. </p><p>She left out Filipino men in her suggestion of potential partners because, according to her, she&#x27;s talking about those who have been classified as &quot;intelligent and hardworkers,&quot; ergo the &quot;Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, et cetera.&quot; </p><p>Read alone, it&#x27;s no surprise how easily it riled up a lot of people. A quick search on Twitter will yield several results criticizing Rae for contributing to the negative image Filipinos have. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My problem with Issa Rae saying Filipinos are the blacks of Asians is how she’s feeding into the colorism and internalized hate of Filipinos within the Asian community that exists</p>— LY TOUR NEWARK (@Yoonginese) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yoonginese/status/990835262690381825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">&quot;Filipinos are the Black People of Asians&quot;<br/><br/>Issa Rae<br/><br/>Straight disrespect</p>— Uncle Hotep | Youtuber | Back At it Again 🐐 (@handymayhem) <a href="https://twitter.com/handymayhem/status/990784056127295488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Issa rae just called filipinos niggers in other words. I have no clue why but that absolutely sent me. That book is discosting. <a href="https://t.co/T4Gio8oMMp">pic.twitter.com/T4Gio8oMMp</a></p>— namjoon’s whore (@_jungpetty) <a href="https://twitter.com/_jungpetty/status/990772836431261697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Donald Glover told y’all he only dates Filipino women, and you ninjas watch Atlanta and laud him as some millennial meta-Negro visionary, but y’all cancelling Issa Rae? Stop.</p>— Okoye’s Apprentice (@PricklyPundit) <a href="https://twitter.com/PricklyPundit/status/990810965041123330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lmao just read that Issa Rae quote from her book and ho boy what does she have against Filipinos?</p>— Solomon Selby (@Solomon_Selby) <a href="https://twitter.com/Solomon_Selby/status/990785855647244289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Taking a break for a second and I saw that Issa Rae book passage. Dating Asian men? Got no problem w/ that. Date who you want. The part about Filipinos though? That has me like this: <a href="https://t.co/JkcJIGSzO9">pic.twitter.com/JkcJIGSzO9</a></p>— Monique Jones (@moniqueblognet) <a href="https://twitter.com/moniqueblognet/status/991024133575184387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Y&#x27;all made this a black men vs. black women thing because of course, but if anybody should be mad at Issa Rae, it should be Filipino people.</p>— Daddy Tang (@KevChestnut) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevChestnut/status/990823001007439873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Issa Rae out here talking bout date Asian men because they are smart? Wait, sorry not Filipinos or those brown ones. Woo shit.</p>— Granddad, Noted Hotep™️ (@Granddad_Sr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Granddad_Sr/status/990755076259176448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I&#x27;m thankful that Issa Rae is giving our men some love and recognition that they often don&#x27;t get from their own women but I REALLY do wish she would remove that comment about Filipinos. Otherwise, more power to her.</p>— 雲六百田 (@toomuchmochi) <a href="https://twitter.com/toomuchmochi/status/990945634592153600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">You all wonder why <a href="https://twitter.com/IssaRae?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IssaRae</a> and others have referred to Filipinos as the “Blacks of Asia”? It’s because colorism exists and many East Asians erase us or treat us like shit. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/A100?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#A100</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrownAsiansExist?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrownAsiansExist</a></p>— Kevin Nadal, Ph.D. (@kevinnadal) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinnadal/status/991468425527595009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Issa Rae&#x27;s comments about Filipinos being the &quot;black people of Asians&quot; is a clear example of poorly-written satire. Well damn I guess we were also called indios? 😐🙆🏿‍♂️</p>— Paolo Rodriguez (@paolozrodriguez) <a href="https://twitter.com/paolozrodriguez/status/991647189821571072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/IssaRae?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IssaRae</a> recommending black people to date Asians but not Filipinos? Bad advice girl, even Thanos wants to retire in the Philippines.</p>— Armand Alonzo (@armand_alonzo) <a href="https://twitter.com/armand_alonzo/status/991474897103679488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The ugliest part of Issa Rae’s comments was her Filipino comments. Why is nobody talking about that? That shit was tasteless af.</p>— Kurt Angle (@kissmeQuan) <a href="https://twitter.com/kissmeQuan/status/991095246829309953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>But as those who defended the writer have said, context is key. It was pointed out that the whole chapter was about how problematic stereotypes are, and that she was deliberately being sarcastic about it to drive home that point. </p><p>Some also explained that her book, containing essays about cyber sex and public displays of affection, was supposed to be a reflection of the deadpan humor she&#x27;s known for. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">That was the whole point of the reference. She was highlighting the foolishness of the stereotypes!</p>— Groupie of the Jabari Tribe (@poorAlien) <a href="https://twitter.com/poorAlien/status/990964486080270338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On Issa Rae.<br/><br/>Because context matters. And because I read her book. And because I taught her book.<br/><br/>The first pic is the intro to the book, which I’ll come back to. 2-4 are the whole section that’s been shared. <a href="https://t.co/jffPNI5L1W">pic.twitter.com/jffPNI5L1W</a></p>— Fierce &amp; Feminine (@DrRondreaMathis) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrRondreaMathis/status/990808988290813952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Reading is fundamental. Reading comprehension is MONUMENTAL.”<br/><br/>Issa Rae was definitely being satirical lol. <a href="https://t.co/iSlHe8Xekt">https://t.co/iSlHe8Xekt</a></p>— GreatIsNate (@TheGreatIsNate) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheGreatIsNate/status/990788863890214912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">yeah I just felt like that part was a little tongue in cheek not necessarily serious. also...it’s true. there’s nothing wrong with being black, Filipinos have the most soul that’s why</p>— Sonny (@fournineteentwo) <a href="https://twitter.com/fournineteentwo/status/991555623945781248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>They added that Rae is a comedian first and foremost and that the things she wrote were based on her humorous observations growing up as an &quot;awkward black girl&quot; and not hard science. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NIGGA TWITTER: Issa Rae is cancelled.<br/>ME: Why?<br/>NT: She said in her book that black women &amp; Asian men should marry.<br/>ME: You mean that 3-year-old book filled with funny, satirical essays about race?<br/>NT: I dunno. Didn’t read the whole thing. Just that part.<br/>ME: <a href="https://t.co/isx3bXIFfs">pic.twitter.com/isx3bXIFfs</a></p>— DIE ONE CRAZY! (@unclecrizzle) <a href="https://twitter.com/unclecrizzle/status/990780167487414272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ya’ll are tryna “cancel” Issa Rae over a joke in a humorous memoir published three years ago. It has to be painful to reach that far to be upset. Honestly, truly.</p>— Meekah Proctor (@meeksz_) <a href="https://twitter.com/meeksz_/status/990773608933978112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Rae has yet to respond on the issue on her Twitter account. </p>

<p>It's been 3 years since Issa Rae, star and creator of the HBO series 'Insecure,' published a book about her life as an awkward black girl. </p>

It's been 3 years since Issa Rae, star and creator of the HBO series 'Insecure,' published a book about her life as an awkward black girl.