On Tuesday evening, eight people were shot to death in Atlanta, Georgia. Seven of the victims were women, and most of them of Asian descent. Though the attacks remain under investigation, these horrific events come amidst a nationwide rise in discrimination, hate, violence, and xenophobia directed against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals and communities. These racist attacks stem from a long history of pervasive discrimination and stereotyping that has for too long harmed Asian and Asian American communities, and in this case, Asian American women specifically. With this in mind, it is important that we recognize this as an intersectional tragedy also rooted in misogyny – a tragedy that is exacerbated by a larger societal complicity in the dehumanizing rhetoric towards sex workers and sex work as well as the hypersexualization and fetishization of Asian women.  

We must work to change this. We honor the lives lost and stand in solidarity with our Asian and Asian American colleagues and students. We condemn these devastating attacks and note that if we are to thrive as a department, university, and country, we must first ensure that populations that have been targeted with racial violence and discrimination feel safe, protected, and supported.