Tag: Asian

Istanbul’s Bargain Asian Side

Istanbul is famously the only city in the world that allows you to switch continents, lying in both Europe and Asia and thus a gateway between both worlds for centuries. Hundreds of daily commuter ferries as well as several massive bridges, connect the city’s Asian and European sides, makin...

Tourist places in Asian Istanbul — the most visited

Tourist places in Asian Istanbul Istanbul is considered one of the most important cities in the world in terms of tourism, as it combines originality, tradition and civilization. Istanbul is located between two continents, namely the European continent and the Asian continent, and they are separa...

Laughing Through the Struggles: Dating as a Gay Asian Man in Sydney

Dating can be a rollercoaster of emotions for anyone, but as a gay Asian man living in Sydney, there are some unique struggles that can make the process even more challenging. From cultural differences to misconceptions and stereotypes, here are 20 funny dating struggles that only gay Asian men in S...

This Vancouver based Asian rapper is next up

Is this rapper from Vancouver up next? Eric Reprid is a local rapper that has been in the music scene for around two years now. For many who have been following Eric for a while now, some of his earliest songs have gone viral a few times. With Yellow Kid being his first song over 100,000 views on...

Disadvantages In Japan As An Asian American

One of the struggles of an Asian American living in Japan is the fact that he/she is assumed to be Japanese the exact opposite of a Caucasian living in Japan. While some people find that this is a good thing, others find it to be negative. Of course there’s the fact that you can speak Japanese...

I Used to Resent the Asian Girlfriends of White Men

I’m an older white woman, married, not looking for a lover, but for some inexplicable reason, I used to feel a little sting of resentment towards the Asian women I’d see in interracial couples around San Francisco. That white men were choosing Asian women for their partners felt like a p...

Why (Some) Asian-Americans Hate Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation refers to the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the cultural practices of one people by members of another, usually, more dominant people. Though the term has existed since the 1940s it remained relatively obscure until the late 2000s when it slowly began to gain mai...

The Origins of anti-South Asian Racism and its Resistance

As anti-racism conversations become more and more common in the workplace, we at Fearless Futures have found that companies often don’t know how to talk about or disrupt the unique experiences of racism for South Asian folks. In order to unpack the day-to-day realities of oppression South Asia...

Black and Asian Solidarity in American History: The Power of Unity Exemplified by 5 Major Events

2020 was a major year in the fight for racial justice. Following former President Donald Trump’s scapegoating of China and Asian individuals for the COVID-19 pandemic, hate incidents against Asian Americans increased considerably. At the same time, there were several unjust murders of Afr...

To All the Asian Men I Never Loved — I’m Sorry

“I’m just not into Asian guys,” I would say flippantly as I dated my way through the rainbow of white, brown, black, and olive-skinned men. “I’m not sure why,” I would say. I may not have known why I didn’t like Asian men, but I did know that my prefer...

Reclaiming ‘Jungle Asian’

“I think my husband and I have a huge unspoken understanding between each other,” Ali Wong starts in her Baby Cobra Netflix comedy special, “because he’s half Filipino and half Japanese and I’m half Chinese and half Vietnamese.” My ears perk up at the mention o...

Exploring Central Florida Comic-Con 2024 — Brief Q&A About Asian Representation

Ever since Crazy Rich Asians came out in 2018, the people behind the film came up with #GoldOpen which brought momentum to Asians working in the U.S. Entertainment Industry. I believe that the #GoldOpen is one of the fundamental factors as to why we have Warrior (not...

Asian Fetishization in Western Society: A Brief History

In a world that is beginning to see an increased collision of disparate groups and cultures, the presence of cultural trends expanding upon their host countries is becoming all too common. Physical conquests such as invasion, imperialism, and trading have all been historical ways which such cul...

Asian Women Are Not For You

Many years ago, at a tech/startup networking event in Palo Alto, I found myself unexpectedly being interviewed for a job I didn’t want, couldn’t do, and wouldn’t be paid for by a guy I’d never want to work with. “It’s good that you have a background in the indu...

The Art of Guilt Trips: A Masterclass by Asian Parents

Growing up, I realized that these guilt trips weren’t merely random expressions of disappointment or frustration. They were, in fact, deeply rooted in a rich tapestry of culture and tradition. In many Asian cultures, there’s a strong emphasis on filial piety — a value tha...

14 Asian Stereotypes Today’s Generation is Shattering

As a self-proclaimed spokesperson of today’s generation, I’ve done a fair amount of wading through the murky waters of stereotypes. And trust me, it’s an ‘all-you-can-eat’ buffet of generalizations out there, and it’s not the good kind like your local sushi bar on...

The Asian Household: Laughs, Lectures, and Love

There’s something about growing up in an Asian household that’s a unique blend of laughs, lectures, and an abundance of love. It’s a tapestry woven with traditions, expectations, and the kind of humor that’s both endearing and eye-roll-inducing. And let me tell...

Gay and Asian: Why We’re Serving Double Shots of Struggle

It’s no secret that being gay comes with its own set of challenges, like coming out, acceptance, and facing prejudice. Now, let’s add a generous sprinkle of Asian culture and values to the mix. Voilà! You’ve got yourself a Gay-sian cocktail that’s sure to leave yo...

Every Time I Date an Asian Guy, People Ask Me if He Has a Small Dick

A few years back, I was walking down the street with an Asian guy I was dating, and some homeless guy shouted “I’ll bet that guy has a tiny dick,” at us. And, in a moment of selfishness, I was like what the fuck am I supposed to in this situation? I still have no idea. We...

Confronting Colorism in Asian Communities

In the intricate tapestry of Asian cultures, there’s a thread that often goes unnoticed, yet it subtly weaves its way through our social fabric. It’s the subtle, yet pervasive issue of colorism. It’s not the loud, in-your-face kind of discrimination that grabs headlines. Nope, it&r...

Does Lensa AI think all Asian people look the same?

“Do you know someone who could make an anime portrait of me?” a friend asked months ago. I connected her to an artist who’d done a portrait for another friend of mine, who she then paid to paint her current social media avatar. I feel a little joy every time I see it pop up on I...

Yellow Fever: The Problem with the Sexual Fetishization and Exotification of Eastern Asian Women

This article delves into the topic of the sexual fetishization and exotification of specifically Eastern Asian (countries such as Japan, China, North and South Korea, Taiwan, and Mongolia) women as requested by a friend of mine. In choosing to speak with a focus on women I, by no means, have the ...

Why I Love (and Hate) My Asian Heritage

There’s something profoundly spiritual about rice — how it’s not just a staple in our diets, but a symbol of life’s simple yet profound lessons. I remember sitting at the dinner table, watching my grandmother carefully wash the rice. Her hands, wrinkled maps of her long journ...

Why Some Asian Traditions Need a Modern Makeover

Chugging Along on the Culture Train First off, Asian traditions are a buffet of diversity. You’ve got everything from the loud, boisterous lion dances during Lunar New Year to the serene, ritualistic tea ceremonies in Japan. They’re beautiful, they’...

TLDR on Asian American History

May is Asian Pacific Islander History Month, a time of growth and a time of reflection. Throughout American history, when opportunities for progress and change erupted for Asian Americans, so too did discrimination, exclusion, and violence. This rings true even in our current times. To understand...

Who Counts as Asian, and What Counts as Anti-Asian Hate?

Asfears about the coronavirus increased in early 2020, Asian Americans — especially Asian American women — began to sound the alarm about a rise in anti-Asian violence, harassment, and hate. But it took the mass murder of six Asian women in Atlanta to catapult anti-Asian violen...

Wrong Asian, Again

Quon Tai came from a prominent Chinese American family in the Northwest, spent a good part of her youth performing on the vaudeville circuit, and later married artist and film director Harry Lachman. Once Harry’s film career took off, Quon Tai became a well known party hostess in Hollywood cir...

As an East Asian, DEI Doesn’t Work at Affirm

Apparently, it means a lot of different things depending on who you ask. From my experience however, it never seems to pan out in the altruistic way DEI is meant to be seen. While the intention is to enable an empathetic, open environment, the intricacies of the human brain simply do not allow for s...

Why Finally Having an Asian Ken in the New Barbie Movie is a Win for Representation

Hey folks! Have you heard the news? We’re finally getting an Asian Ken in the new Barbie movie, and Simu Liu is playing the role! Simu Liu in “Barbie.” — Warner Bros For years, Asian men have been underrepresented in Hollywood, especially in leading roles. It’...

A Letter to My Younger Asian American Self

You won’t be aware of this for nearly another two decades, but May is Asian Pacific American Heritage month. I can picture you now as I tell you this, 17 years old with brows furrowed, sprawled out on that perpetually disheveled bed surrounded by posters of smoldering pop star gazes, wondering...

I Was Ashamed Of My Asian Parents

Growing up, the concept of ‘cool’ seemed as distant from my parents as the farthest star in the night sky. Picture this: two Asian-American adults, their accents thick with the flavor of a faraway homeland, clothes screaming of a different era and culture, voices always a notch too loud,...

Our Story Was Theirs: South Asian Americans Before 1800

The South Asian presence in the US is often treated like a recent phenomenon, something which accompanied the software boom which began in the 1980s. Depictions of us in popular media almost always show us in some sort of engineering capacity. I’m starting to think that a large number of Ameri...

Asian Male Stereotypes Complicate My Love Life

Nothing pisses me off more than when someone says, “I’m just not attracted to Asian men.” I’ve heard these words come out of seemingly bright and well-intentioned women’s mouths — women of all ethnicities, including Asian — and in the Bay Area, where over on...

Why Your Asian Friend Cringes at Your ‘Compliment’

There’s that moment — usually innocuous, always awkward — when someone throws a ‘compliment’ my way, thinking they’re in the clear. Something like, “Wow, your English is really good!” Or the classic, “You’re really good at math, huh?”...

The Golden Years Aren’t So Golden: Attacks on Asian Seniors

Golden years. The phrase brings to mind a life of tranquility and joy, like leaves in autumn that settle peacefully after a long, turbulent ride. But let me hit you with a plot twist: that’s a woeful miscalculation. Just because one’s hair turns gray doesn’t mean the world sud...

Addressing Asian American/Pacific Islander College Students’ Mental Health Needs

In May 2021, amidst increasing reports of anti-Asian hate crimes, the Steve Fund and the National Center for Institutional Diversity at the University of Michigan convened a group of eight experts in Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) history, college students, and mental hea...

Men Go Nuts Over Beautiful Asian Women! Why This Fetishization?

You’ve spent your entire life in the US, so you’ve grown accustomed to the type of people you meet. It’s always the same kind of clothes, the same kind of make-up, the same attitude wherever you go. Now, with Asian women, it’s a whole different story. When it comes to fashion...

Cracking the Asian Masculinity Stereotype

Hollywood Has a Type First things first, let’s address that big elephant in the room: Hollywood. Yep, Hollywood has been shaping, or should I say, misshaping our idea of what it means to be an Asian man for, like, forever. How many times have you seen an Asian male character who&r...

What No One Tells You About Asian ‘Respect’

Let’s kick things off with a little riddle: What’s something so deeply ingrained in Asian culture that you’d find it everywhere from Lunar New Year celebrations to Sunday family brunches, but rarely ever talked about openly? Ding, ding, ding! If you guessed ‘respect,&rsq...

Dear White Guys: Your Asian Fetish is Showing

A few weeks ago, I was waiting at the bus stop for the 66 on my commute to university when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to be greeted by a blond guy about five years older than me. My first thought? He’s sort of cute. Then, he opened his mouth, and it all went downhill from the...

Multiracials of Asian Heritage

Celebrating those with both Multiracial Heritage & Asian Heritage as part of Asian Heritage Month About 17% of the US Asian population is Multiracial, with 57.65% of them being Wasian (half Asian — half White), about 17.65% of them being Latinasian (half-Asian — half-Hispanic), &a...

How I Really Feel as a Half-Asian

How do I really feel as a half-Asian? To be honest, I don’t know myself. I stare at the very complexity that forms the basis for my even wanting to ask such a question — and I am dumbfounded. I could say that I love being half-Asian, but that would be excessive pride, not ...

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Month!

Did you know that May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month? It’s a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, which encompasses people originating from all of the Asian continent, the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The month of May was cho...

Asian man grabs Black woman by the neck — he says she was stealing, activists say it’s racism and misogynoir

There’s yet another case that has inspired protests. This time it’s in Peckham, in South-east London. It begins with a 31-year old Black woman asking for a refund for some previously purchased hair products. The shop owner, 45-year old Sohail Sindho, informs her that refunds aren&rsqu...

Navigating Cultural Norms: Breaking Free from the ‘Saving Face’ Mentality in Asian Cultures

In many Asian cultures, the “saving face” concept holds great significance. It refers to preserving one’s social image, reputation, and dignity, often at the expense of expressing true thoughts or feelings. While the intention behind saving face is often rooted in respect and ha...

I AM NOT A WHITE-EYED WOLF: appreciation & Asian immigration

“Hey Dad, Tiananmen Square was a pretty big deal, wasn’t it,” I said to my dad in the car one day. “Tell me more about it!” It was summer 2013, so in my pre-college boredom, I’d casually Googled the event on Wikipedia one day. I’d visited the square 10 ye...