In Conversation with Feminist Writer and Activist Katy Ho
By Penny Scarce
For readers who may be new to you, how would you introduce yourself?
Hi! I'm Katy and I'm a Cantonese Canadian writer and activist. Ever since I was a little girl, I had a passion for writing and a strong desire to fight for justice. Now, I'm very blessed to be a writer at FEMINIST and a contributor for the Environmental Media Association and Cold Tea Collective. After covering the world’s biggest events, organizing with feminists around the world, and being in rooms with Hollywood executives, I’ve come to realize that there is still a lack of awareness, understanding, and recognition of Asian feminism. It inspired me to launch BAD ASIAN, a space where the Asian diaspora and our allies can come together to learn, amplify, and explore the complicated nuances of existing as an Asian person.
What books would you recommend right now?
For anybody looking for a good starting point or refresher on intersectional feminism, I highly recommend feminism is for everybody by bell hooks. It's a very accessible read that clearly lays out the core logic behind feminism, how patriarchy harms all of us, and why everybody should be a feminist.
What need —personal, political, or otherwise, gave rise to your Substack Bad Asian?
Growing up as a minority in a predominantly White and conservative city, I experienced racism and misogyny from a young age and felt very alone. I remember standing in front of the mirror as a little girl, wishing I could have White skin and blonde hair and blue eyes, not because I hated myself but because I knew it would give me a safer, easier life. When I finally learned about intersectional feminism, it deepened my understanding of the world around me and helped to heal my internalized racism and misogyny. As I got deeper into my feminist activism work, I realized that there was still a gap in addressing the issues that Asian communities face in the modern day. I launched BAD ASIAN as a community for others to learn about Asian feminism through the lens of pop culture and current events, and my aim is to make BAD ASIAN the type of safe landing space for learning and healing that I wish I had growing up.
Do you have a piece of writing you are most proud of? What makes it meaningful to you?
When anti-Asian hate crimes spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, my mental health was at an all-time low. It seemed like every time I checked my phone, there was a new video of an Asian person getting brutally attacked on the street. Then, in March 2021, the Atlanta spa shooting happened. A gunman walked into multiple Asian-owned massage spas and killed eight people, blaming his attack on a "sex addiction." I remember feeling so horrified, heartbroken, overwhelmed and powerless that it gave me a panic attack. The only way I knew how to process this tragedy was to write, so I channeled all of my thoughts and feelings into a piece called "Asian Women are Not Your 'Sex Addiction'" for NextShark. It was a terrifying time to be an Asian person, and it means a lot to me that I could use my writing to stand up for my community in that moment.
You met Gloria Steinem and sang happy birthday to her — tell us about that moment and what you took away from it.
I think my life peaked in that moment. Gloria has made such a massive impact on the feminist movement, and getting invited to meet her in her NYC home alongside other inspiring feminists like Tarana Burke and Jessica Valenti was the biggest honour. What touched me the most was that she wasn't at all interested in making it about herself. We were all so eager to hear Gloria speak, but instead of focusing on herself, she opened up the conversation to all of us about our visions for a feminist future. When it came time for her to blow out her 91st birthday candles, she invited all of us to make a birthday wish along with her. Rather than centring herself, Gloria's work has always been about shining a light on others: we can see this in how she has lifted up the women around her, formed meaningful friendships with other women activists like Wilma Mankiller, and turned her home into a space for feminists to gather and shape the future together. I'm inspired by how she always puts her community first and has dedicated her life to building an infrastructure for the feminists who come after her. If I can emulate that in any way through my own work, I'll feel very fulfilled.
What’s a piece of wisdom you’ve inherited from the women in your life?
My mom is one of the strongest women I know, and she always taught me to never rely on a man and to prioritize my career and female friendships. I'm so thankful to her for teaching me those lessons. As women, we're socially conditioned to always put others (especially men) first. We're taught to sacrifice our own independence for men, whether it be giving up our careers or our friendships, and that can lead a lot of women down a really dangerous path of dependency and power imbalances in relationships. My mom's teachings helped me to unlearn these patriarchal mindsets and to view men as my equals rather than my superiors, which was an important stepping stone in making me the feminist activist that I am today.
What are you currently learning or unlearning?
I’m currently unlearning toxic hustle culture and learning how to actually let myself rest. It’s very common for activists to burn out because there are so many issues happening around the world that we care about and so many important causes that we want to fight for. It can get very overwhelming, especially with the current rise in fascism around the world. It’s important for me to remind myself that there’s an entire community of people around the world working towards positive change and that the responsibility doesn’t lie solely on my shoulders. I’m learning to prioritize rest and self care so that I can continue having the energy to do the activism work that I’m passionate about.
Where can readers find you?
You can find all of my writing on the BAD ASIAN Substack and I post regularly at @katyho_ on Instagram and TikTok!