Josie H
Australia

I am a Catholic Indian.

The middle school I went to was not Catholic, and when I graduated into high school (which was Catholic), I ended up in the top Religion class, getting 80% + in all my tests. One day,a boy asked me disbelievingly, “You went to a non-Catholic primary school? You’re Indian? And you’re in the top class for Religion?”

For your information, I did answer in the positive for his questions, and they also made me edgy. I didn’t really mind his comment about my primary school, but it was the “you’re Indian?” question which really did it for me. It seemed as if in his eyes, an Indian cannot be Catholic. This is the kind of ignorance that promotes racism (and makes me feel like I want to punch someone).

I have a message for everyone and I really hope you share it.

Someone from Pakistan can be a Sikh.

Someone from Italy can be Hindu.

Someone from Africa can be Jewish.

Anyone can be whatever religion they wish. So stop judging others, and assuming everything about them.