Gemma Chan is taking aim at The Sunday Times‘ anti-Asian rhetoric.
Chan, 38, reshared a passage from the publication’s report on Prince Philip’s funeral on her official Instagram page. The story’s author calls Philip “an often crotchety figure, offending people with gaffes about slitty eyes, even if secretly we rather enjoyed them.”
“This was written by a journalist who should know better, approved by editors and sent to print,” Chan wrote. “To trivialize casual racism in the most widely read Sunday broadsheet at a point when the Asian diaspora is experiencing a surge of attacks is deeply irresponsible.”
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“We need more people of colour in newsrooms,” the English “Crazy Rich Asians” actress asserted before requesting “a retraction and an apology.”
Chan concluded by asking readers to sign a petition requesting the apology and retraction.
The Sunday Times editor Emma Tucker apologized for the outlet’s wording in a statement published on Tuesday, but defended author Christian Lamb. Tucker said the paper “did not intend to condone” Philip’s comment.
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“This so-called ‘gaffe’ made by Prince Philip was a well-known aspect of his life story,” she said, according to The Guardian. “It was noted by us on Saturday night that the sentence was offensive and it was not published in digital editions.”
“Christina Lamb has spent her whole career reporting on discrimination and injustices against people in every part of the world and never intended to make light of his remark in any way,” Tucker added.
