Which term do you prefer? [Archive]

BeTheReds

08-01-2003, 08:29 PM

I seem to identify myself differently in different situations.

Right now I like :

Overseas Korean with American Citizenship

Yes, I know it sounds like I am copying Eric, but that's how I feel right now.

I don't really like the terms hapa or eurasian.  And double is kinda silly.

The other ones i dont mind though.

Hiroshi2

08-01-2003, 08:44 PM

I don't know. Somehow I can't see me describing myself with some cute little word like "blasian" or "blackanese". I have said 1/2 black, 1/2 japanese, black and japanese, whatever. I guess I don't think about it too much.  ;)

BeTheReds

08-01-2003, 09:08 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (professor frink @ Aug 2 2003, 12:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> who's eric?

love,
prof. frink [/b][/quote]
Eric is AlibabaIncorporated

thaite

08-01-2003, 09:35 PM

First, I like Thaite, cuz it sums me up concisely.
Second, I'll go for hapa or mixed-Asian.
I don't really go for Eurasian, because I don't feel one bit European.
After that, I don't really care.

Eros

08-01-2003, 10:51 PM

I like hapa because it sounds nice.  Eurasian and amerasian are fine.  Biracial is good but kinda non-descriptive.  I really don't care any which way since they all have their own merits.  As for which I use more, it's definetely hapa because that word hasn't been in my vocabulary long and, as I said before, it has a nice ring to it.

YuheiCarreau

08-01-2003, 11:09 PM

I don't really like being called half in English... Probably because I don't see the point in saying I'm 'half' Japanese when I have full citizenship. Hapa has become a convenient word to use in writing but I never say it out loud, I'd feel goofy doing it. Double is just dumb. Biracial is clinical but the most succinct way of saying it.

Japanese will always call me haafu (half) anyway, so I pretty much accept it from them. At least when they say it, they mean "half Japanese" - in other words, "half one of us". When Americans say it, they also mean "half Japanese" - "half foreigner". They always say stuff like, "Oh, are you half, uh, half Japanese? I didn't know that"  :rolleyes:  Yeah, whatever...

Emperor_Mike

08-01-2003, 11:39 PM

Eurasian works fine. Basically anything that's not offensive is good enough. :D

AliBabaIncorporated

08-01-2003, 11:44 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (BeTheReds @ Aug 1 2003, 09:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> </div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (professor frink @ Aug 2 2003, 12:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> who's eric?

love,
prof. frink [/b][/quote]
Eric is AlibabaIncorporated [/b][/quote]
shhh! now she's not gonna like the idea just cuz it came from me  :P

Right now I just say I'm Chinese and my dad's white. (I gave up on saying Malaysian Chinese while I'm in the US cuz everyone thinks it means I'm half Malay and half Chinese and no one has the slightest clue what an "overseas Chinese" is or how it differs from a "Chinese-American"). Around Chinese people I'm overseas Chinese, from Malaysia, and my dad's white. Around Japanese people, I just tell them I'm from Malaysia and let them figure that for whatever they want.

Don't mind whatever people choose to say to that (e.g. "Oh, you're hapa!" "Oh, you're mixed!") but I won't use those terms myself.

coagulated fat

08-02-2003, 12:25 PM

Any of those are fine, most people I know say hapa. When I describe myself to other people I say half Japanese and half White because I know describing myself as any of those other labels will inevitably lead to follow-up questions about it (what does hapa/eurasian mean? what kind of asian?)... and I tire of the follow-up questions. "Double" is dumb though.

Thaite... I just got that. Damn I'm slow. :lol:

thaite

08-02-2003, 02:25 PM

I also use "multi-racial" -- that's okay, too.

rice cracker

08-04-2003, 10:34 AM

I like the term hapa, but I like bi-racial just as much. Neither term really helps when people ask, "So, what nationality are you?" I usually just say Korean and white, or Korean and plain.

Faithless

08-05-2003, 09:09 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Hiroshi2 @ Aug 1 2003, 07:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I don't know. Somehow I can't see me describing myself with some cute little word like "blasian" or "blackanese". I have said 1/2 black, 1/2 japanese, black and japanese, whatever. I guess I don't think about it too much. ;) [/b][/quote]
This board is the first place where I have heard the term "blasian". Honestly, my first response was, "do people really call themselves that? It sounds a bit cutsie".

YuheiCarreau

08-05-2003, 11:01 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ChottoMatte @ Aug 5 2003, 12:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> This board is the first place where I have heard the term "blasian". Honestly, my first response was, "do people really call themselves that? It sounds a bit cutsie". [/b][/quote]
I think people use terms like "blackanese" and "blasian" when they want to be cutesy. I don't think it's on the census or anything...

That reminds me of a woman I know. She is Black, and she married a Jewish man, so they call their kids "Hebros" :lol:

TheHapacalypse

08-05-2003, 11:15 AM

I'm down with hapa . . . you can make all sorts of clever neologisms and puns with it! :lol:

Faithless

08-05-2003, 11:28 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (TheHapacalypse @ Aug 5 2003, 10:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I'm down with hapa . . . you can make all sorts of clever neologisms and puns with it! :lol: [/b][/quote]
Wait, wait -- double checking "neologisms" on M-W. Ah, yes:

Hapaness is a warm bowl of rice and peanut butter. :blink:

Faithless

08-05-2003, 11:31 AM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (YuheiCarreau @ Aug 5 2003, 10:01 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I think people use terms like "blackanese" and "blasian" when they want to be cutesy. I don't think it's on the census or anything...

That reminds me of a woman I know. She is Black, and she married a Jewish man, so they call their kids "Hebros" :lol: [/b][/quote]
Well, I guess it beats being called a mongoloid. Took me a while to get used to that in Social Anthropology. :rolleyes:

teaz0r

08-05-2003, 01:17 PM

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (thaite @ Aug 2 2003, 11:35 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I like Thaite [/b][/quote]
me too. :luv: :luv: :luv:

BeTheReds

10-25-2003, 10:07 PM

I now think hapa is appropriate in cases where all parties know what it means. I've used it many times myself since, but still I don't like it so much. Other people do however...

John0101

10-25-2003, 11:46 PM

All the hapas in my grade in high school (7 hapas total, 4 which hung around each other) called themselves "halfies" and never used the term "hapa", my hapa friend from college doesn't use the term "hapa" as well, instead he just calls himself half vietnamese.

thaite

10-27-2003, 11:58 AM

me too. :luv: :luv: :luv:

:: muwah! ::

Mariko

11-12-2003, 11:00 PM

haha...I don't know either...blackanese doesn't bother me though...soOo yes.. i do describe myself as blackanese...it doesn't seem cute...just..yea

[SIZE=7]I don't know. Somehow I can't see me describing myself with some cute little word like "blasian" or "blackanese". I have said 1/2 black, 1/2 japanese, black and japanese, whatever. I guess I don't think about it too much.  ;)
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]

SynRG

11-13-2003, 10:41 PM

I like "Eurasian," because I am one. ;D

I'll use hapa when other people around me are used to using it but I don't relate to the term as much. Eurasian is much more specific. Plus I'm not from Hawaii ;)

Mr.Lum

11-15-2003, 12:46 PM

i say Sino-Polyneisan. Chinese and Polynesian.

spice

12-10-2003, 09:11 PM

i don't like identifying myself like a math equation....i hate terms like "half". it makes me feel like some dog breed. i say i'm american. and if someone asks about race, i usually say white because i look white - but i'll also mention that my mom is japanese.

Banana_Creme

12-14-2003, 10:22 PM

I prefer the term "Eurasian" because technically, I'm not a hapa (I'm 3/4 Asian, 1/4 European). I don't usually refer to myself as "Eurasian" though, because most people I know don't really seem to be too familiar with the word--they just label me "Mixed." As long as people don't call me a "mutt," I'm fine with most terms, I guess.

BeTheReds

12-16-2003, 02:15 AM

I prefer the term "Eurasian" because technically, I'm not a hapa (I'm 3/4 Asian, 1/4 European). I don't usually refer to myself as "Eurasian" though, because most people I know don't really seem to be too familiar with the word--they just label me "Mixed." As long as people don't call me a "mutt," I'm fine with most terms, I guess.

I had no idea hapa meant that it was a 50/50 mix.

Texas Hapa

06-07-2004, 06:27 PM

I think we have the inherent right to choose our own identity. Though to chinese people I'm half white and to the white people I'm half chinese. Both worlds have no idea how wrongly they label me. I say I am not half of anything, rather I am double. I am white and chinese, that's all there is to it. Half white/half chinese is too inaccurate to describle me. I am double where 1+1=2, not 1/2+1/2=1. I have double the culture and double the identity of most people. This is what i choose for myself and may not apply to other multi-racial individuals. I choose to fuse both worlds into my identity and derive pride and strength from both.

SynRG

06-07-2004, 06:33 PM

"Best of Both Worlds?" ;)

Have you been to EAN yet?

Seamus

06-07-2004, 06:43 PM

Double, haha :) I respect how you feel, but when people hear you say that you're "double," I'm sure many are confused. Some may consider it as being very anal. When I hear "double," I think of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, or Norman Bates or something.

thaite

06-07-2004, 07:23 PM

um ok. well, good.

coagulated fat

06-07-2004, 07:35 PM

I disagree. I think we don't have the right to our identity. You should be whatever I tell you you are.

rice cracker

06-07-2004, 08:06 PM

I think we have the inherent right to choose our own identity. Though to chinese people I'm half white and to the white people I'm half chinese. Both worlds have no idea how wrongly they label me. I say I am not half of anything, rather I am double. I am white and chinese, that's all there is to it. Half white/half chinese is too inaccurate to describle me. I am double where 1+1=2, not 1/2+1/2=1. I have double the culture and double the identity of most people. This is what i choose for myself and may not apply to other multi-racial individuals. I choose to fuse both worlds into my identity and derive pride and strength from both.

Well, I do believe that is one of the most positive spins I've ever heard on the topic of multiculturalism without making me barf. Good job. I karma ye. :smile:

nameless

06-07-2004, 09:35 PM

eh...it still ends up reducing to two halves anyway. :redface:

Faithless

06-07-2004, 09:58 PM

I think we have the inherent right to choose our own identity. Though to chinese people I'm half white and to the white people I'm half chinese. Both worlds have no idea how wrongly they label me. I say I am not half of anything, rather I am double. I am white and chinese, that's all there is to it. Half white/half chinese is too inaccurate to describle me. I am double where 1+1=2, not 1/2+1/2=1. I have double the culture and double the identity of most people. This is what i choose for myself and may not apply to other multi-racial individuals. I choose to fuse both worlds into my identity and derive pride and strength from both.
Then, by that logic:

If one were 1/4 Italian, 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Irish, and 1/4 Japanese --

They'd really be 1+1+1+1 = 4, or quadruple. (My nephew.)

But I don't really think it works that way (for him):

He looks about as Asian as Orlando Bloom. He really doesn't know what Asian culture is. He is for all intents and purposes, white.

BeTheReds

06-07-2004, 11:43 PM

I think we have the inherent right to choose our own identity. Though to chinese people I'm half white and to the white people I'm half chinese. Both worlds have no idea how wrongly they label me. I say I am not half of anything, rather I am double. I am white and chinese, that's all there is to it. Half white/half chinese is too inaccurate to describle me. I am double where 1+1=2, not 1/2+1/2=1. I have double the culture and double the identity of most people. This is what i choose for myself and may not apply to other multi-racial individuals. I choose to fuse both worlds into my identity and derive pride and strength from both.

Uh, welcome to YW. Please keep in mind that our focus here is on Asian-American issues.

Going on the above post I'd reccomend that you visit some of the hapa sites out there like EurasianNation or hapas.com

But welcome nonetheless!

Then, by that logic:

If one were 1/4 Italian, 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Irish, and 1/4 Japanese --

They'd really be 1+1+1+1 = 4, or quadruple. (My nephew.)

But I don't really think it works that way (for him):

He looks about as Asian as Orlando Bloom. He really doesn't know what Asian culture is. He is for all intents and purposes, white.

Yea, it's for that very reason that I don't claim any Irish or Dutch or Italian or German in my identity because I don't know anything about any of those places. Lookie here! I'm a quintuple! Woohoo! Multicultural me!

Colorblind

06-20-2004, 03:40 AM

I vote who cares?

I usually tell the person to shut the fuck up and annoy someone else with their petty questions. Keeping them guessing is the most satisfying solution for racists.

Hiroshi2

06-20-2004, 09:15 PM

I just prefer mixed or biracial. Some biracial people trip over that word "mixed" but it never bothered me - I've been called worse.

And I absoultely hate "hapa". I never even heard that fucking word till I saw this site, it's just weird to me.

(Yes I know I've already responded to this thread but this is basically in addition to what I said before).

Colorblind

06-20-2004, 10:00 PM

I just prefer mixed or biracial. Some biracial people trip over that word "mixed" but it never bothered me - I've been called worse.

And I absoultely hate "hapa". I never even heard that fucking word till I saw this site, it's just weird to me.
Holy shit. I think I can finally agree with the full context of someone post around here.

Coquinegra

06-22-2004, 11:55 AM

amazing poll and right on time.
I've been discussing this in a delphiforum (what is or is not a preferred term for Asians
in America).
He thinks Oriental is dandy.

kimpossible

06-22-2004, 12:36 PM

amazing poll and right on time.
I've been discussing this in a delphiforum (what is or is not a preferred term for Asians
in America).
He thinks Oriental is dandy.

Who's he? I don't really care if he uses oriental or not. I just wonder who the he is in question.

asvenus

06-26-2004, 10:06 AM

lmao @ hebros!! i know what you all mean about the 'cutesy' ring of 'blasian', although i must admit i like it...this is probably because i hail form england where we descibe ourseleves with such lack of imagination and 'cutesiness' that it makes us sound as if we are naming some kind of new species of plant rather than talking about our heritages....i usually say i am of African & Asian descent, because inevitably people are never satisfied with what i say and i hate saying 'half n half' cos it pissed me off...my father is Black Caribbean and my mother is Pakistani/Indian...make of it what you will!!
i like 'hapa' but never thought it applied to me...i always thought it was for people who are Hawaian and white mix...wot do i kno!!

Valida

07-27-2004, 02:45 PM

I like hapa because it sounds the best. It just rings. But people who aren't hapa (and often people who ARE hapa) don't even know the term. So, half-Asian and half-Thai work out well. Gets confusing when I say half-Thai, because I actually say half-Thai-Chinese... because some Thai people are Thai-Chinese (I think it would make more sense to call em Chinese-Thai) - they are Thai but of Chinese descent (which is what my half is.)

But I look extremely white, so when I say half-Thai-Chinese people sometimes think I mean half-Thai, half-Chinese and get rather confused. So half-Asian works, then they ask from where and I can explain the whole Thai but Chinese thing.

Also, I think Amerasian is used more to describe children of US military and Asian women. That's what I've read anyway, so I don't use that ever. I don't use Eurasian either, it sounds like the landmass not a person.

I like to call myself a "halfie" and people are sometimes surprised and say, "you actually call yourself that!?" I find it cute and not demeaning at all.

Filiprish

08-19-2004, 01:49 AM

I identify as Eurasian. Hapa is too generic (not specific enough).

LaiSteve66

11-02-2005, 09:17 PM

My Lai!

yuuteya

11-04-2005, 04:38 AM

i vote "nothing"

i just keep quiet about that kind of stuff. first, because im not interested in that kind of thing, and second, in reality no label is accurate. so no label is ever satisfying ever. but when i get asked directly (which is not comon) i smile or elude the question. at last im just me.