What does it mean to be Queer and Asian American? [Archive]

View Full Version : What does it mean to be Queer and Asian American?

victorvien

10-09-2003, 09:37 PM

Hi everyone I am curious as how people think about and define Queer Asian American. This question is to everybody....what does it MEAN to be Queer and Asian American?

I always thought it meant being stuck in the between two cultures that don't appreciate or accept us--invisible "middle" people.

kitty

10-09-2003, 09:51 PM

I've spoken with some queer asian americans, and one of the issues they've brought up is that it's often like they have to "choose" an identity -- and often that they end up "choosing" (or being forced to choose) to herald their queer identity.

I'm not sure why that is... but they've mentioned that they find they relate more with the queer community than with the politicized Asian American community in general.

victorvien

10-10-2003, 06:26 PM

kitty

10-11-2003, 12:19 AM

MAY I ASK YOU WHICH ONE DO YOU PERSONALLY IDENTIFY MOST WITH? FOR ME I DON'T SEEM TO IDENTIFY WITH EITHER....

eeek... don't yell at me... :(

I'm not queer so I can't really answer this question. Like I said, most of the queer Asian Americans I've met up with say they identify more with the gay community. I think it's because they feel closer to the issues of that community -- and I really think that the politicized Asian American community deals so rarely with queer issues, and can sometimes even be frightened or unwelcoming of those issues, that it can seem difficult to try to feel a part of it.

etcj

10-12-2003, 04:59 PM

I always thought it meant being stuck in the between two cultures that don't appreciate or accept us--invisible "middle" people.
I'm kinda impressed that your first post on YW was in the GL Forum. On the surface, I would agree that Asians and Pacific Islanders are stuck in the middle when it comes to API politics and GLBT politics. Nowadays, you have more resources and places that queer API's can go to get their API politics and queer politics all in one place. However, it's a small niche in large market of political crap. Albeit there is a great need for API queer leaders in politics, these individuals often become co-opted into other communities' issues. For example, queer API's are often talking about racism, but in the perspective that benefits any community of color other than the API community.

So the "invisible 'middle' people" that you are talking about - they are the Elaine Chung's and Norm Mineta's. They may be Asian, but they sure as hell will not talk about those issues most pertinent to their own racial/ethnic identity. They are made to talk about the broader (mistakenly called more important) issues that relate to everyone. For queer API leaders, they often have to talk about queer issues from the perspective as a person of color, not as an Asian or Pacific Islander. The backlash from having to take the broader context is that they will portrayed as being inconsiderate or uncaring of their own community.

Hey, I know it doesn't really answer your question, but maybe it's another perspective that you might find helpful.

Chris

10-13-2003, 04:33 PM

Yeah, I can understand. Seems like the political radicals out there are always whining, bitching about something, anything....queers don't need this aggro.....they just want to get laid and be promiscous in toilets and public places :D

Where the hell did you get that stigma from. I for one do not go there. Just watch what you are saying man.

kimpossible

10-13-2003, 05:22 PM

Where the hell did you get that stigma from. I for one do not go there. Just watch what you are saying man.

Maybe that's where he's looking for love and he's been disappointed. Haha... just joking Mr. Z.