Chinese | Scottish

Tamsin Longley.jpg

From the start I knew that I was mixed race. But in Hong Kong there are lots of mixed race people. There is almost like a little community in itself of mixed race kids. When I came to England, it was different because actually then there were not so many. Then it became not as normal as I thought it was. When I first did secondary school you had the odd comment here and there but I have never seen it as a massive negative because you know, it’s like, more fool them at the end of the day. Usually when people try and pick on you for certain stuff it's always the physical. It is not who I am as a person. I’m incredibly proud of my heritage. If they do the slitty eyed thing or whatever it is that they want to pick up on, it’s like, actually that's what makes me unique. I don’t see it as insult because some people think that my eyes are one of the most beautiful traits that I have. It doesn't really affect me that way because I am very proud of my Chinese side. I just think it is ignorance really and that is sad for them rather than being sad for me.

In terms of reincarnation, I’m pretty happy with my lot really. Mixed and female. I’m pretty happy with the way things are going. There are lots of things going on in the media at the moment to do with female rights, the ‘me too’ movement and all these sorts of things and I think that is amazing. I am so lucky to be a woman right now because if maybe you had asked me about reincarnation 100 years ago, it would be a very different answer probably. My mum has been very supportive of my career and stuff like that. I’ve never felt that being a woman or being a certain race has held me back from what I want to do. Actually it opens up conversations with what I do. I work with lots of patients and I will chat to them and they will ask me where I’m from. That opens up such a nice dialogue because people are really interested to hear about me and they will say, “oh I’ve been there” and then you have this immediate bond with them which is lovely. I definitely wouldn't want it any other way.