5 April 2021
To Brynn Putnam:
Several weeks ago, I noticed one of your fitness instructors using casually racist language in her classes on the Mirror. The language, mocking Asian Americans, whether intentionally or not, came right on the heels of the Atlanta murders of multiple women of Asian descent. They are also occurring in the context of a groundswell of anti-Asian violence, harassment and intimidation based on the usage of “mere” words and phrases, like “Kung flu.” Words have power and, as NBC pointed out recently, anti-Asian jokes have gotten a pass for so long “[b]ecause of the country’s long history of scapegoating and othering people of Asian descent, [and] the lack of diversity in the upper echelons of the media and entertainment industry.”[1]
In your case, one of your instructors (not of Asian descent – none of your instructors or any front-facing Mirror staff appear to be of Asian descent) was screaming “HIYA HIYA HIYA” while doing pseudo “kung fu” kicks in a manner that, especially coming right off the Atlanta shootings, made me cringe. This kind of “kung fu” “hiya” language has long been used as a way to mock and demean Asians. In a recent case a friend sent me, a conservative church had a video in which someone acted similarly to your instructor and, as soon as it was pointed out that this was racist, the church apologized and took it down. There are many, many cases on this subject and I’ve attached a link to a court case that’s on point as just one example.[2]
This kind of casual mockery of Asians is degrading and sad. The fact that Mirror amplifies it to all its members by publishing it and livestreaming it – repeatedly – legitimizes it, normalizes it and makes it ok to mock a marginalized community.
It is such a small, easy thing to fix. I myself have, in the past, been told certain phrases were inappropriate and I was grateful for the lesson and stopped using them. I thought I would tell the instructor and she would be courteous and professional and use a different word like “bam” or “pow.” Accordingly, when this first happened, I put a private note to the instructor into the app to notify her that this language could be viewed as offensive and pointing out the context – both in terms of (1) the rising anti-Asian violence in the country based on words and rhetoric like the words she uses, (2) the Atlanta murders which left many Americans – both Asian and not – deeply disturbed and saddened, and (3) the fact that LuLuLemon, Mirror’s parent company, has a history of anti-Asian actions they’ve had to apologize for from their comments about it being “funny” that Japanese people can’t pronounce the company’s name to their appalling “bat-fried rice” anti-Asian, COVID-related shirts.[3]
Not only did I receive no reply, your instructor doubled down on her HI YA’s and invited, in later classes, the audience to join in and scream HIYA HIYA with her while doing fake karate kicks. It seemed like a very unprofessional, passive aggressive response to a heartfelt request for compassion and empathy.
After the language continued with seemingly elevated gusto, I went ahead and contacted Mirror support on March 30, 2021. I bcc’d you on that message, which is re-printed below. I received no reply. The fact neither Mirror nor the instructor seem to care about this at all shows just how deeply ingrained this type of “causal mockery” is and the fact your platform lacks Asians means there’s no counterpoint. When people like me speak up, we are ignored and, worse, outright ridiculed.
My (white, male) significant other was one of the people I bcc’d on my March 30th email to you and your support team. He reached out independently to Mirror to reiterate that, particularly in today’s polarized atmosphere in which people of Asian descent have been spit on, beaten and even killed, that this type of casual demeaning of Asian people is not acceptable. Within 24 hours, Mirror tech responded to him (they did not cc me or email me or call me) that they would take down “the” (even though there were actually multiple classes) class and give your instructor “sensitivity” training. What “sensitivity training” is was not explained.
I was disappointed that Mirror did not see fit to respond to me at all, however, I hoped that they/you were sincere in the effort to create an open, welcoming and inclusive environment. They/you were not. On April 2nd, the same instructor put forth another live class, streamed out to many people, in which she continued her HIYAs. I lost count of how many times she yelled it. This is, at best, incredibly unprofessional. As a public-facing company, your words and the words of your instructors have influence and meaning to many people, giving your instructor’s racially demeaning language wide exposure. If you double, triple and quadruple down on that racist language – as you have – then you’re telling your audience it’s ok to make fun of Asian people, you’re saying there is no accountability. As the gatekeeper, the buck stops with you. You’re responsible and I ask again: will you simply continue to ignore or even promote the instructor and her language further, as Mirror is currently doing?
This may seem like a very little thing. In some ways it is: it is just a tiny phrase used, in the least racist sense, to imbue energy to a move. It could easily be stopped and changed to an equally energetic but less racist word like “bam” or “pow.” Given the easiness of the fix, why is it so critical to you and your instructor that she NOT stop using the phrase? Why has she doubled down on something that should be a simple, professional, courteous, easy fix?
In other ways this “little” phrase is a big thing. Words have power. The use of words and phrases like “kung flu” in public ways by public personas have put us as a country in a place where people are viciously attacked and some are dead now, for no reason other than their racial background. Is this something you and Mirror want to be a part of?
It's all these so-called tiny aggressions, casual mockery and demeaning phrases that build up over time. Our complacency with them creates the groundwork for the legitimization and normalization of much more egregious racist and sexist behavior.
I reached out to other people of various genders and racial backgrounds to get their thoughts on this, including Mirror users, and I’m copying a few examples below for you so you can see how words affect people and why.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
From a black male:
I'm very sorry that you experienced this incident and are having to deal with the aftermath. Personally, I think you should be very annoyed.
First, there is the initial lack of sensitivity of the instructor. What the hell?! We're in the year 2021! People know that kind of stuff is inappropriate. They know that is a racial stereotype that has no place in contemporary society. And that is especially so in this recent environment when Asians and Asian Americans have been scapegoated and under attack.
Second, it's infuriating how the instructor doubled and tripled down on her behavior after you (politely) complained. How unprofessional! If she didn't know she was being racist before -- and she should have -- she knew she was being racist after both of your messages. What kind of person keeps up that type of behavior (and with more enthusiasm) after she is informed it makes one of her customers -- and likely many of her customers -- uncomfortable in a racial way? What a repugnant woman! I recently read of a church video that did this exact same thing, only it was a youth pastor dressed up in kung fu garb and making the "hi-ya!" sounds while giving a lesson. The video had been on the church's website for some time, and an Asian American person eventually discovered it and complained. The church immediately took the video down and apologized. It was a ridiculous video to have on its website in the first place -- and it's really sad that it had to be an Asian American who recognized and complained about how problematic it was -- but at least the church recognized its error and responded to the complaint. And this was a conservative church. How could a corporation that focuses on fitness and wellness have a worse response?!
Third, it is incredibly insulting -- and delves into racist and sexist territory -- when two of your messages about the incidents are ignored but your white male husband's message is acknowledged and acted upon. What is this company Mirror and what is its owner LuLuLemon? What is the company culture that they would handle this series of incidents like they did? The voice of an Asian American woman means nothing and can be neglected, but it's only when a white male gets involved that they feel compelled to respond and do something? And again, this happened against the backdrop of this painful national moment we're in regarding Asian American identity and presence and safety!!!
So no, you're not being overly sensitive. You're not overreacting. This is exactly the kind of thing that must be addressed. Most of the racism that affects our society is not big actions like that horrifying mass shooting in Georgia. Most of it is the little stuff like this. But it's these kind of little incidents that contribute to an atmosphere that makes the Georgia shootings and the violent attacks on Asians and Asian Americans possible.
I think you shouldn't stop at your letters. You should make more of it. The initial incident could have been easily addressed and handled with everyone going forward satisfied. But the company chose a different path with an abysmal response that showed an endorsement of racism and sexism, and they should be made to answer for it.
From an Asian male:
I fully agree with your discomfort with the Mirror instructor using such an outdated, stereotypical, cartoonish Oriental yell for her workout. I literally have not heard "hi yah" outside of children's animation for decades. I don't think you're being touchy. The instructor's continued "hiyahs" sure sounds like an "F-U, you can't tell me what to do." And Mirror's single response makes them sound like a company run entirely by rich white men, completely deaf to any other non-rich-white-male. They can shove their sensitivity training right back up their ass.
From a white female:
Oh my gosh, I would be livid! Sexism and racism all wrapped up into one ugly package. I'm so sorry that happened. It's just unacceptable and infuriating. I do not think you are over-reacting.
For what it's worth, I would blast them on social media about both racism and sexism, probably separately because we all know that some people can't process two ideas at once, plus if you combine the two, at least one issue won't be addressed. And they both need to be addressed. Loudly and in a huge way. I'd go to Facebook, Twitter (an especially satisfying platform for getting companies to pay attention, I've found), Instagram. I would likely also add in a letter to Brynn Putman and Calvin McDonald, and I'd reach out to other women you know who have Mirror subscriptions and who are of Asian descent to "encourage" the company to pay attention. I hope I'm not overstepping; I'm only letting you know what I would do, but I can't speak to your experience, and I don't mean to or want to take over with my anger.
On a side note, their support seems abysmal in that they clearly didn't really even read your email. Their "ticket takers," for lack of a better term, seem to be going off a script and not capable of using their brains outside of that script. Never a good thing when companies get to that point, as it shows a complete lack of engagement with its customers and a tone-deafness relating to customer concerns.
Excerpt from a longer note from a journalism professor who is also a person of color:
I now take micro-s more seriously than before because I truly believe they contribute to "the groundwork for the legitimization and normalization of much more egregious racist and sexist behavior." And I don't want to be complicit.
Related Emails:
---------- Forwarded message ---------
Date: Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 7:09 PM
Subject: Music and video crashing related plus racism or micro aggressions
To: Mirror < hello@mirror.co>
Hi Mirror Tech Support. Yes, the tech problems persist. Rather than repeating them ad nauseum, if you could review my ticket(s), that would be helpful. The last month-plus without musical audio was free of the usual video crashes. When the music finally returned, so did the retrying, buffering and crashing, which is why I created a new ticket suggesting the two issues might be related(?)
On an unrelated note, I’d really appreciate someone speaking to one of your Mirror instructors, [Name redacted], about microaggressions directed against Asian Americans. Right in the wake of the Atlanta shootings and in the context of an overwhelming rise in anti-Asian violence and racism in this country, she is doing her moves with “HI-YA” fake “Kung Fu” exclamations and noises. It’s cringe-worthy and, at best, tone deaf. Given the additional context that LuLuLemon (your parent company) is well known for past anti-Asian actions (for example: https://nextshark.com/chip-wilson-lululemon-japanese-pronunciation/ and https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lululemon-apologized-after-its-art-director-posted-bat-fried-rice-n1188831) and the fact that Mirror has not a single instructor of Asian descent – even your Tai Chi class is taught by a white man – this probably went unnoticed. It is, however, a classic micro-aggression (see court cases on this point and other resources, below). [Name of Instructor redacted] may have no clue she’s engaging in race-based, prejudice-oriented speech, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is. Given LuLuLemon’s history and the fact you are an Asian-free company – at least for your front-facing instructors - maybe take this seriously? These are some good resource to start with:
https://asiasociety.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Resources%20for%20Combating%20Anti-Asian%20Racism.pdf
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/anti-racism-resources-support-asian-american-pacific-islander-community-n1260467
https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/race-hate
And for more on the subject:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8220873/Chinese-NHS-worker-wins-30-000-racial-discrimination-claim-colleague-Kung-Fu-noises.html; https://www.thehrdirector.com/legal-updates/legal-updates-2020/mimicking-chinese-accent-making-kung-foo-noises-racial-harassment/ (MAKING KUNG FOO NOISES WAS RACIAL HARASSMENT); https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jan/11/british-chinese-racism
https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/29/maskless-woman-kung-fu-attack-canada-racist-outburst/
If you've gotten this far in the email, thanks. And, if you're looking for a substitute word that connotes hitting or kicking energetically but isn't racist, what about a super hero-esque POW or WHAM? No race baiting there.
This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient, please be advised that the content of this message is subject to access, review and disclosure by the sender's Email System Administrator.
-----------message:
From: MIRROR Member Experience < hello@mirror.co>
Date: March 29, 2021 at 5:06:26 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Music and video crashing related?
Reply-To: hello@mirror.co
Hi there,
We wanted to check in to see if you have additonal questions we can answer for you! If so, can you please let us know so we can assist as soon as possible?
Looking Forward,
Team MIRROR
Contact Us:
888-288-1588 (everyday 10am-6pm ET, or by appointment)
Schedule Time With Us
FAQs
From: MIRROR Member Experience <hello@mirror.co>
Thanks for reaching out! Our MIRROR Guides are not working today but will be back tomorrow, September 8th, to answer your inquiry. We are currently receiving higher than normal volumes -- thank you for your patience! While you wait, you may reference our User Manual or see below for some helpful resources. If you require technical assistance, you may schedule a call with a Technical Expert here. Appointments are available M-F 10:00AM - 9:00PM EST or Weekends from 10:00AM - 6:00PM EST.
Quick Reference Guide:
About MIRROR
Looking Forward,
The MIRROR team
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: MIRROR Member Experience <hello@mirror.co>
Thanks for reaching out! Our MIRROR Guides are not working today but will be back tomorrow, September 8th, to answer your inquiry. We are currently receiving higher than normal volumes -- thank you for your patience! While you wait, you may reference our User Manual or see below for some helpful resources. If you require technical assistance, you may schedule a call with a Technical Expert here. Appointments are available M-F 10:00AM - 9:00PM EST or Weekends from 10:00AM - 6:00PM EST.
Quick Reference Guide:
About MIRROR
Looking Forward,
The MIRROR team
On Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 1:59 PM wrote:
Music is back after a month plus wo it BUT w the return of the music came the return of the retrying/buffering and/or crashing of the workouts . Related??
Sent from my iPhone - expect typos and other iPhone related mayhem.
--
This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient, please be advised that the content of this message is subject to access, review and disclosure by the sender's Email System Administrator.
--
This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient, please be advised that the content of this message is subject to access, review and disclosure by the sender's Email System Administrator.
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/jay-leno-asian-jokes-gotten-pass-long-rcna578
[2] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8220873/Chinese-NHS-worker-wins-30-000-racial-discrimination-claim-colleague-Kung-Fu-noises.html; https://www.thehrdirector.com/legal-updates/legal-updates-2020/mimicking-chinese-accent-making-kung-foo-noises-racial-harassment/ (MAKING KUNG FOO NOISES WAS RACIAL HARASSMENT); https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jan/11/british-chinese-racism
https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/29/maskless-woman-kung-fu-attack-canada-racist-outburst/
[3] : https://nextshark.com/chip-wilson-lululemon-japanese-pronunciation/ and https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lululemon-apologized-after-its-art-director-posted-bat-fried-rice-n1188831)
To Brynn Putnam:
Several weeks ago, I noticed one of your fitness instructors using casually racist language in her classes on the Mirror. The language, mocking Asian Americans, whether intentionally or not, came right on the heels of the Atlanta murders of multiple women of Asian descent. They are also occurring in the context of a groundswell of anti-Asian violence, harassment and intimidation based on the usage of “mere” words and phrases, like “Kung flu.” Words have power and, as NBC pointed out recently, anti-Asian jokes have gotten a pass for so long “[b]ecause of the country’s long history of scapegoating and othering people of Asian descent, [and] the lack of diversity in the upper echelons of the media and entertainment industry.”[1]
In your case, one of your instructors (not of Asian descent – none of your instructors or any front-facing Mirror staff appear to be of Asian descent) was screaming “HIYA HIYA HIYA” while doing pseudo “kung fu” kicks in a manner that, especially coming right off the Atlanta shootings, made me cringe. This kind of “kung fu” “hiya” language has long been used as a way to mock and demean Asians. In a recent case a friend sent me, a conservative church had a video in which someone acted similarly to your instructor and, as soon as it was pointed out that this was racist, the church apologized and took it down. There are many, many cases on this subject and I’ve attached a link to a court case that’s on point as just one example.[2]
This kind of casual mockery of Asians is degrading and sad. The fact that Mirror amplifies it to all its members by publishing it and livestreaming it – repeatedly – legitimizes it, normalizes it and makes it ok to mock a marginalized community.
It is such a small, easy thing to fix. I myself have, in the past, been told certain phrases were inappropriate and I was grateful for the lesson and stopped using them. I thought I would tell the instructor and she would be courteous and professional and use a different word like “bam” or “pow.” Accordingly, when this first happened, I put a private note to the instructor into the app to notify her that this language could be viewed as offensive and pointing out the context – both in terms of (1) the rising anti-Asian violence in the country based on words and rhetoric like the words she uses, (2) the Atlanta murders which left many Americans – both Asian and not – deeply disturbed and saddened, and (3) the fact that LuLuLemon, Mirror’s parent company, has a history of anti-Asian actions they’ve had to apologize for from their comments about it being “funny” that Japanese people can’t pronounce the company’s name to their appalling “bat-fried rice” anti-Asian, COVID-related shirts.[3]
Not only did I receive no reply, your instructor doubled down on her HI YA’s and invited, in later classes, the audience to join in and scream HIYA HIYA with her while doing fake karate kicks. It seemed like a very unprofessional, passive aggressive response to a heartfelt request for compassion and empathy.
After the language continued with seemingly elevated gusto, I went ahead and contacted Mirror support on March 30, 2021. I bcc’d you on that message, which is re-printed below. I received no reply. The fact neither Mirror nor the instructor seem to care about this at all shows just how deeply ingrained this type of “causal mockery” is and the fact your platform lacks Asians means there’s no counterpoint. When people like me speak up, we are ignored and, worse, outright ridiculed.
My (white, male) significant other was one of the people I bcc’d on my March 30th email to you and your support team. He reached out independently to Mirror to reiterate that, particularly in today’s polarized atmosphere in which people of Asian descent have been spit on, beaten and even killed, that this type of casual demeaning of Asian people is not acceptable. Within 24 hours, Mirror tech responded to him (they did not cc me or email me or call me) that they would take down “the” (even though there were actually multiple classes) class and give your instructor “sensitivity” training. What “sensitivity training” is was not explained.
I was disappointed that Mirror did not see fit to respond to me at all, however, I hoped that they/you were sincere in the effort to create an open, welcoming and inclusive environment. They/you were not. On April 2nd, the same instructor put forth another live class, streamed out to many people, in which she continued her HIYAs. I lost count of how many times she yelled it. This is, at best, incredibly unprofessional. As a public-facing company, your words and the words of your instructors have influence and meaning to many people, giving your instructor’s racially demeaning language wide exposure. If you double, triple and quadruple down on that racist language – as you have – then you’re telling your audience it’s ok to make fun of Asian people, you’re saying there is no accountability. As the gatekeeper, the buck stops with you. You’re responsible and I ask again: will you simply continue to ignore or even promote the instructor and her language further, as Mirror is currently doing?
This may seem like a very little thing. In some ways it is: it is just a tiny phrase used, in the least racist sense, to imbue energy to a move. It could easily be stopped and changed to an equally energetic but less racist word like “bam” or “pow.” Given the easiness of the fix, why is it so critical to you and your instructor that she NOT stop using the phrase? Why has she doubled down on something that should be a simple, professional, courteous, easy fix?
In other ways this “little” phrase is a big thing. Words have power. The use of words and phrases like “kung flu” in public ways by public personas have put us as a country in a place where people are viciously attacked and some are dead now, for no reason other than their racial background. Is this something you and Mirror want to be a part of?
It's all these so-called tiny aggressions, casual mockery and demeaning phrases that build up over time. Our complacency with them creates the groundwork for the legitimization and normalization of much more egregious racist and sexist behavior.
I reached out to other people of various genders and racial backgrounds to get their thoughts on this, including Mirror users, and I’m copying a few examples below for you so you can see how words affect people and why.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
From a black male:
I'm very sorry that you experienced this incident and are having to deal with the aftermath. Personally, I think you should be very annoyed.
First, there is the initial lack of sensitivity of the instructor. What the hell?! We're in the year 2021! People know that kind of stuff is inappropriate. They know that is a racial stereotype that has no place in contemporary society. And that is especially so in this recent environment when Asians and Asian Americans have been scapegoated and under attack.
Second, it's infuriating how the instructor doubled and tripled down on her behavior after you (politely) complained. How unprofessional! If she didn't know she was being racist before -- and she should have -- she knew she was being racist after both of your messages. What kind of person keeps up that type of behavior (and with more enthusiasm) after she is informed it makes one of her customers -- and likely many of her customers -- uncomfortable in a racial way? What a repugnant woman! I recently read of a church video that did this exact same thing, only it was a youth pastor dressed up in kung fu garb and making the "hi-ya!" sounds while giving a lesson. The video had been on the church's website for some time, and an Asian American person eventually discovered it and complained. The church immediately took the video down and apologized. It was a ridiculous video to have on its website in the first place -- and it's really sad that it had to be an Asian American who recognized and complained about how problematic it was -- but at least the church recognized its error and responded to the complaint. And this was a conservative church. How could a corporation that focuses on fitness and wellness have a worse response?!
Third, it is incredibly insulting -- and delves into racist and sexist territory -- when two of your messages about the incidents are ignored but your white male husband's message is acknowledged and acted upon. What is this company Mirror and what is its owner LuLuLemon? What is the company culture that they would handle this series of incidents like they did? The voice of an Asian American woman means nothing and can be neglected, but it's only when a white male gets involved that they feel compelled to respond and do something? And again, this happened against the backdrop of this painful national moment we're in regarding Asian American identity and presence and safety!!!
So no, you're not being overly sensitive. You're not overreacting. This is exactly the kind of thing that must be addressed. Most of the racism that affects our society is not big actions like that horrifying mass shooting in Georgia. Most of it is the little stuff like this. But it's these kind of little incidents that contribute to an atmosphere that makes the Georgia shootings and the violent attacks on Asians and Asian Americans possible.
I think you shouldn't stop at your letters. You should make more of it. The initial incident could have been easily addressed and handled with everyone going forward satisfied. But the company chose a different path with an abysmal response that showed an endorsement of racism and sexism, and they should be made to answer for it.
From an Asian male:
I fully agree with your discomfort with the Mirror instructor using such an outdated, stereotypical, cartoonish Oriental yell for her workout. I literally have not heard "hi yah" outside of children's animation for decades. I don't think you're being touchy. The instructor's continued "hiyahs" sure sounds like an "F-U, you can't tell me what to do." And Mirror's single response makes them sound like a company run entirely by rich white men, completely deaf to any other non-rich-white-male. They can shove their sensitivity training right back up their ass.
From a white female:
Oh my gosh, I would be livid! Sexism and racism all wrapped up into one ugly package. I'm so sorry that happened. It's just unacceptable and infuriating. I do not think you are over-reacting.
For what it's worth, I would blast them on social media about both racism and sexism, probably separately because we all know that some people can't process two ideas at once, plus if you combine the two, at least one issue won't be addressed. And they both need to be addressed. Loudly and in a huge way. I'd go to Facebook, Twitter (an especially satisfying platform for getting companies to pay attention, I've found), Instagram. I would likely also add in a letter to Brynn Putman and Calvin McDonald, and I'd reach out to other women you know who have Mirror subscriptions and who are of Asian descent to "encourage" the company to pay attention. I hope I'm not overstepping; I'm only letting you know what I would do, but I can't speak to your experience, and I don't mean to or want to take over with my anger.
On a side note, their support seems abysmal in that they clearly didn't really even read your email. Their "ticket takers," for lack of a better term, seem to be going off a script and not capable of using their brains outside of that script. Never a good thing when companies get to that point, as it shows a complete lack of engagement with its customers and a tone-deafness relating to customer concerns.
Excerpt from a longer note from a journalism professor who is also a person of color:
I now take micro-s more seriously than before because I truly believe they contribute to "the groundwork for the legitimization and normalization of much more egregious racist and sexist behavior." And I don't want to be complicit.
Related Emails:
---------- Forwarded message ---------
Date: Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 7:09 PM
Subject: Music and video crashing related plus racism or micro aggressions
To: Mirror < hello@mirror.co>
Hi Mirror Tech Support. Yes, the tech problems persist. Rather than repeating them ad nauseum, if you could review my ticket(s), that would be helpful. The last month-plus without musical audio was free of the usual video crashes. When the music finally returned, so did the retrying, buffering and crashing, which is why I created a new ticket suggesting the two issues might be related(?)
On an unrelated note, I’d really appreciate someone speaking to one of your Mirror instructors, [Name redacted], about microaggressions directed against Asian Americans. Right in the wake of the Atlanta shootings and in the context of an overwhelming rise in anti-Asian violence and racism in this country, she is doing her moves with “HI-YA” fake “Kung Fu” exclamations and noises. It’s cringe-worthy and, at best, tone deaf. Given the additional context that LuLuLemon (your parent company) is well known for past anti-Asian actions (for example: https://nextshark.com/chip-wilson-lululemon-japanese-pronunciation/ and https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lululemon-apologized-after-its-art-director-posted-bat-fried-rice-n1188831) and the fact that Mirror has not a single instructor of Asian descent – even your Tai Chi class is taught by a white man – this probably went unnoticed. It is, however, a classic micro-aggression (see court cases on this point and other resources, below). [Name of Instructor redacted] may have no clue she’s engaging in race-based, prejudice-oriented speech, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is. Given LuLuLemon’s history and the fact you are an Asian-free company – at least for your front-facing instructors - maybe take this seriously? These are some good resource to start with:
https://asiasociety.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Resources%20for%20Combating%20Anti-Asian%20Racism.pdf
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/anti-racism-resources-support-asian-american-pacific-islander-community-n1260467
https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/race-hate
And for more on the subject:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8220873/Chinese-NHS-worker-wins-30-000-racial-discrimination-claim-colleague-Kung-Fu-noises.html; https://www.thehrdirector.com/legal-updates/legal-updates-2020/mimicking-chinese-accent-making-kung-foo-noises-racial-harassment/ (MAKING KUNG FOO NOISES WAS RACIAL HARASSMENT); https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jan/11/british-chinese-racism
https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/29/maskless-woman-kung-fu-attack-canada-racist-outburst/
If you've gotten this far in the email, thanks. And, if you're looking for a substitute word that connotes hitting or kicking energetically but isn't racist, what about a super hero-esque POW or WHAM? No race baiting there.
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From: MIRROR Member Experience < hello@mirror.co>
Date: March 29, 2021 at 5:06:26 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Music and video crashing related?
Reply-To: hello@mirror.co
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From: MIRROR Member Experience <hello@mirror.co>
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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: MIRROR Member Experience <hello@mirror.co>
Thanks for reaching out! Our MIRROR Guides are not working today but will be back tomorrow, September 8th, to answer your inquiry. We are currently receiving higher than normal volumes -- thank you for your patience! While you wait, you may reference our User Manual or see below for some helpful resources. If you require technical assistance, you may schedule a call with a Technical Expert here. Appointments are available M-F 10:00AM - 9:00PM EST or Weekends from 10:00AM - 6:00PM EST.
Quick Reference Guide:
About MIRROR
- How much does the Mirror cost?
- When will my Mirror arrive if I order today?
- Where can I learn more about MIRROR?
- Do you ship internationally?
- How does the 30-Day Risk-Free Trial work?
- Can I receive installation with my delivery?
- Will my Standard Warranty stay intact if I self install my Mirror?
- What precautions are your logistics partner taking in light of COVID-19?
- Where can I download the MIRROR App?
- I am having trouble setting up my Mirror
- How can I add users to my account?
- Should I turn my Mirror off when not in use?
- How do I pair my Bluetooth headphones & speaker with my Mirror?
- How do I pair my Heart Rate Monitor with my Mirror?
- How can I update the email associated with my account?
- How can I update my billing information?
- How can I reset my password?
Looking Forward,
The MIRROR team
On Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 1:59 PM wrote:
Music is back after a month plus wo it BUT w the return of the music came the return of the retrying/buffering and/or crashing of the workouts . Related??
Sent from my iPhone - expect typos and other iPhone related mayhem.
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[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/jay-leno-asian-jokes-gotten-pass-long-rcna578
[2] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8220873/Chinese-NHS-worker-wins-30-000-racial-discrimination-claim-colleague-Kung-Fu-noises.html; https://www.thehrdirector.com/legal-updates/legal-updates-2020/mimicking-chinese-accent-making-kung-foo-noises-racial-harassment/ (MAKING KUNG FOO NOISES WAS RACIAL HARASSMENT); https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jan/11/british-chinese-racism
https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/29/maskless-woman-kung-fu-attack-canada-racist-outburst/
[3] : https://nextshark.com/chip-wilson-lululemon-japanese-pronunciation/ and https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lululemon-apologized-after-its-art-director-posted-bat-fried-rice-n1188831)
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