Chinese netizens discuss Chloe Bennet’s ‘racist Hollywood’ post

Last week, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress Chloe Bennet explained in a Twitter post that the reason she changed her last name from Wang to Bennet was because “Hollywood is racist and wouldn’t cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable.”

The post has sparked heated discussion online in China about racism in the US.

“Let me tell you a joke: All men are created equal in the US,” commented Sina Weibo user DBai Fudong on Friday.

“There is discrimination against all people of color. But why is it that discrimination against people of African descent is the only thing that gets attention? Due to a lack of media coverage, the public doesn’t know as much about the difficulties that those of Asian descent face. I hope that Hollywood will listen more to the complaints of Asian actors and actresses,” wrote Sina Weibo user winkaa-V on Friday.

Chinese netizens also showed support for Bennet concerning a letter she wrote in February addressed to supermodel Gigi Hadid, about a video in which the model was seen holding a smiling Buddha cookie and squinting her eyes in imitation. Many netizens felt that the model was mocking Asians.

“People would make fun of me for being Chinese. For having ‘Asian eyes’… It hurts my heart to see someone like you, a beautiful young woman with so much influence, act in this inconsiderate way,” the Chinese-American actress wrote in the letter that she posted on Twitter.

“Everyone should also know that she stood up in protest after Gigi Hadid appeared in that video mocking Asians,” Sina Weibo user Chaoxieshi wrote on Monday in a post that has received 1,759 likes.