As a “visibly Asian” person, I immediately recoiled!! Perfect response as always, Papi -- I can’t count the number of times that seemingly well-intentioned people have assumed my political stances, cultural practices, and even childhood traumas based on their inexpert (not that there’s such a thing as “expert” in this case) analysis of my facial features. It’s always so jarring when someone I considered a friend accidentally reveals that they view me with a big ASIAN!! ASIAN!! sign over my head at all times. Hope the writer takes the advice to heart. Let people be people!!!
I've been the target of such curiosity, especially since I live in a university town. It sorta stopped a few years ago, however before that time, I would be standing in the Wal-mart line or anywhere and someone next to me would turn to me and ask, are you from Turkey? I would then have to say, no...Louisiana. It happened so many times, that I finally had to google "people from Turkey" and when I did, I thought, "hey, I do look like people from Turkey. Beautiful." During the Confirmation mass for my youngest daughter many years ago, we were filing out of the church pews to go to communion to receive the Holy Eucharist, and one of the caucasian fathers of the children to be confirmed, turned to me and while literally moving his hands to make the shape of a box, he asked me where I was from. I can't stand the thought of ever seeing that guy again to this day. HUGS, Papi.
I don’t think you’ll be beating the fabricated letters allegations with this one Papi, but I’m very happy you chose to write on this- and done so succinctly and effectively. I’ve been caught in so many conversations of “what kind of Asian are you” and the subsequent “but HOW Asian are you”. They never make me feel like the other person is genuinely trying to engage with me, but rather trying to decide for themselves if they should consider me asian, white, or some secret third thing. Your words captured so many shared sentiments. Yet another hit piece by Papi! 🧡
As a “visibly Asian” person, I immediately recoiled!! Perfect response as always, Papi -- I can’t count the number of times that seemingly well-intentioned people have assumed my political stances, cultural practices, and even childhood traumas based on their inexpert (not that there’s such a thing as “expert” in this case) analysis of my facial features. It’s always so jarring when someone I considered a friend accidentally reveals that they view me with a big ASIAN!! ASIAN!! sign over my head at all times. Hope the writer takes the advice to heart. Let people be people!!!
I've been the target of such curiosity, especially since I live in a university town. It sorta stopped a few years ago, however before that time, I would be standing in the Wal-mart line or anywhere and someone next to me would turn to me and ask, are you from Turkey? I would then have to say, no...Louisiana. It happened so many times, that I finally had to google "people from Turkey" and when I did, I thought, "hey, I do look like people from Turkey. Beautiful." During the Confirmation mass for my youngest daughter many years ago, we were filing out of the church pews to go to communion to receive the Holy Eucharist, and one of the caucasian fathers of the children to be confirmed, turned to me and while literally moving his hands to make the shape of a box, he asked me where I was from. I can't stand the thought of ever seeing that guy again to this day. HUGS, Papi.
I don’t think you’ll be beating the fabricated letters allegations with this one Papi, but I’m very happy you chose to write on this- and done so succinctly and effectively. I’ve been caught in so many conversations of “what kind of Asian are you” and the subsequent “but HOW Asian are you”. They never make me feel like the other person is genuinely trying to engage with me, but rather trying to decide for themselves if they should consider me asian, white, or some secret third thing. Your words captured so many shared sentiments. Yet another hit piece by Papi! 🧡