Viral TikTok highlights co-workers mistaken for being related because they’re Asian
By Ryan General
A viral TikTok video shows two Asian co-workers finding themselves repeatedly asked if they are family members, highlighting the prevalence of racial stereotyping in the workplace.
About the video: In the video posted on Dec. 23, TikTok user Damir2crazy revealed that customers often inquire if the establishment is a “family business” simply because he and his female co-worker are Asian. The video shows the female employee playfully hitting her male co-worker in the back with a broom. He emphasized in the video overlay text, “When someone asks if this is a family-owned business but we’re just two Asians on shift.”
Commenters react: The TikTok video gained significant traction, amassing over 1.6 million views as of this writing. The clip resonated with many viewers who shared their own experiences of facing racial microaggressions at work.
“I’m kinda ethnically ambiguous and I had a coworker from an entirely different continent, some old yt lady asked if we were IDENTICAL TWINS,” a commenter wrote.
“Whenever I’m around another Chinese kid I ALWAYS get asked if we’re siblings,” wrote another.
“When someone asks if me and my coworkers are sisters (I’m Indonesian they’re Thai) (sometimes they think we’re the same person),” another shared.
Why it matters: Even seemingly harmless, unintentional biases based on race and other identity markers can contribute to harmful stereotypes, including “yellow peril” and the “perpetual foreigner.” Research on implicit bias has shown how unconscious stereotypes can influence people’s thoughts and behaviors toward others.
In 2021, a survey found that 60% of Asian American professionals said that due to their identity, they must work harder than their non-Asian peers to succeed in their jobs.
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