Often I wonder, what if I wasn’t born Indian? I was not born in India, but I spent vacations there, and my parents brought me up with Indian ideals and culture. I love being Indian, but the stereotypes and expectations of being one have impacted me and sometimes even made me wonder, what if I was white, would life be better?

    Many Indians, including myself, try to change ourselves to fit in. The racism and discrimination Indians face are overlooked and drive individuals such as myself to want to change ourselves so we can be accepted.

    I was talking to my cousin who grew up in India but recently moved to Canada, and I asked him, “Do you regret being born in India?” I had asked my father the same question, and he proudly said no. However, my cousin responded unexpectedly. “Yeah. If I was born in Canada, I would have been able to live an easier life than what I am living now. India is one of the worst countries you can be born into.” The benefits Canadian-born citizens get that make their lives easier do not apply to international citizens like my cousin, who work hard but do not receive the same benefits and privileges in most places. 

    An issue is that discrimination and racism are in the government itself. President Nixon, the 37th president, was a disgusting racist man who led our country. According to the NYTimes article, The Terrible Cost of Presidential Racism, his discrimination against Indians is most clearly shown when he called Indian women “undoubtedly the most unattractive women in the world” and called all Indians “pathetic.” If the leader of our country was misogynistic and racist, what is the fate of this country and its progression toward equality?

    This mentality has continued, even now, as seen with our 49th Vice President, Kamala Harris. According to The Washington Post, Some Democrats are worried about Harris’s political prospects, it mentions how Democrats were hesitant to elect her due to her being “a woman of color,” highlighting the growing racism and sexism individuals like her face. They believe a white man could do the job better and bring more honor to the nation than “a woman of color,” though that is far from the truth.

    In many ways, my fate is similar to hers because no matter what, because I am Indian, I will not be treated the same as someone born and raised as a white American. Even though I was born in America, I will never be seen equally due to my race. Instead of asking what if I wasn’t born Indian, I wonder, why can’t I be accepted for who I am?