Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with an apology from the Instagram user.
An Instagrammer posting from Montreal, Canada is facing backlash for a post at an Asian nail salon.
The Instagram post from user hajareality is accompanied with the caption, written in French, “quand tu fais tes ongles chez les chinois pis tu sais elle parle sur toi dans sa langue,” which translates to, “When you do your nails at the Chinese place and you know she talks about you in her language.”
In the post, the user speaks in French before turning the camera to the woman and asking in English, “Are you talking shit about me girl? Are you talking shit about me?”
Many in the comments immediately called out the poster’s rude behavior, clarifying that the nail technician, who speaks Vietnamese, is not Chinese.
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Upon listening to the nail technician, she appears to be conversing with another technician, saying, “It was so fun. When I went back to Vietnam, they were decorating the streets with flowers. There was a lot of food.”
When she notices she is being recorded, she appears to say, “You’re making me say this so you can record it. The new year is coming.” At the end, in response to the “talking sh*t” question, she simply acknowledges the question.
Instagram users were quick to call out the rude behavior and racist undertones of the poster.
One commenter, writing in French and English, wrote:
“All Asians aren’t Chinese, get that sh*t straight. The woman isn’t talking to you and you are just assuming. Get your sh*t straight before you open your mouth. Close it and respect her because she’s doing your nails b*tch. You’re going to talk sh*t and flex the nails she’s doing for you? Please.”
Asian-owned nail salons, as well as Asian nail technicians, are occasionally the targets of negative stereotypes, mockery, harassment, theft, and even violent crimes.
After receiving backlash over the offensive Instagram post, the user has since posted an apology:
Her caption reads, “Je voulais prendre le temps de m’excuser pour le malentendue de cette video, par respect pour les gens de la culture asiatique qui me regarde , je réfléchirai dorénavant a ce que je publie!” which translates to, “I wanted to take the time to apologize for the misunderstanding of this video, out of respect for the people of the Asian culture who look at me, I will reflect from now on what I publish!”
