Prymasquous
Mystiqably Human Survivor
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2014
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i-D France April 2017 Online
Ph: Roddy Bow
i-d.vice.comwhat does it feel like to be asked "where are you from?"
How is discrimination experienced by those who have moved to France, or whose origins may mark them out as 'other'.
Where are you from? It's a simple question, pretty innocuous. But when the answer given doesn't quite satisfy the asker, it can quickly be followed with another. "Come on, where are you really from?" Then, the meaning changes. Current debates around identity, police misconduct and everyday racism reveal the dark side of what what it means to be French today.
The assimilationist push is at issue. To be considered French, some must give up their origins, heritage, history and swear allegiance to the nation. As the race for the French Presidency enters its final weeks, the team at i-D France took to the streets to question the great national narrative that speaks of a land that is welcoming and respectful -- to get perspectives on origins, discrimination and the future.
Mae Lapres, 25
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Paris. My mother is Chinese and my father is Canadian.
Do you think France is a racist country?
I don't think so, but I have been in countries where I have felt better than here. It's not only about assaults or insults that you get on the street. Sometimes it's just about a feeling. I felt very comfortable in New York. Nobody asks you where you are from because you are not white. In Asia, it is the other way around. If you are white, you get immediately labelled. It is not necessarily racism, it has actually more to do with curiosity. It is all about education. When I was a child, kids in my school would make fun of me because I was different. Their parents would never intervene. When I bump into them now, none of them would dare say such things again. As a kid, I hated them. Now, I forgive.
So you've experienced discrimination?
I have, unfortunately. As a kid at school and then when I started my career as a model. I don't know if you can talk about racism in the fashion industry. Yet I was told many times, "the fashion market has not opened towards Asia at the moment". It has been several years since I started doing fashion shows and I have a lot of work but I am still labelled as a "Chinese model" though.
What do you feel about the coming elections?
I am not very interested in politics. I don't feel like I am in danger. Yet I think that it is essential to stop the rise of the Front National.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I would like to grow vegetables and raise a bunch of chickens, haha.
