Sometimes Asian, Mostly American

I realize November is coming to a close, but what I didn't realize is that it was National Adoption Month! Man, we'll see if I can stick with this for a year and have a bunch of fun stuff next year.      The Dave Thomas Foundation leads National Adoption Month by providing awareness and resources to the public and adoptee families. Growing up, I and my family weren't aware of resources available, albeit limited at the time. My parents did an excellent job in raising me and I am lucky that I don't have serious psychological distress (as can be apparent in adoptees), adoption resources are invaluable. Especially for trans-racial/national and mixed race adoptees.      One of the most common approaches from white parents is colorblind racism. Obviously, parents don't mean it as racism, but that doesn't mean it comes without harm. While adoptive parents are the epitome of unconditional, blind love, refusing to recognize racial differences is not on...

White feminists take on the mantle of feminism, but not the responsibility to educate themselves on any of it. Generally, a white feminist is the one correcting me on my experiences. While I know this blog, and me being so open about my life and feelings is a little tokenistic (speaking for a whole) I acknowledge my experiences are my own. Even using studies or statistics to back my claims up, (I promise I do, but for a blog I'm not often quoting studies and am focused on myself) not everyone is the same. So when a white feminist wants to change my narrative for the sake of they don't agree with it because they haven't had the same experiences, it's clear that this is not the person to keep in my life.      Another glaring problem is one common among white people. When I find something personally problematic, or when someone else does, and a white person continues to do it (like saying nigger over and over again, even if a Black person is uncomfortable with it) or ...

I can't believe I have to open with this but, no I'm not talking about white people who are feminists (before anyone gets snappy).      White feminism is basically a blanket term for feminists who don't give a damn about minority populations: mainly people of color, trans women, or women who are disabled. While it's a popular term now, it comes from women's suffrage and the Civil Rights movement. During which white women were able to protest for their rights but didn't also make room for WoC. Things like white women wanting a spot in the workplace, but WoC are not granted those same spots and are also expected to work lower class jobs daily. White women fighting for the right to vote and Black women not being able to vote as late as the 60s.      Don't get me wrong, women's suffrage and the Civil Rights movement will always be celebrated in my heart. Those were moments marginalized communities got the attention of the entire country. But don't ...

I will never not share a K-Beauty tip. Despite being adopted, I wholeheartedly claim K-Beauty. (Also, claiming culture will be in a future post, stay tuned.) But as the multi-step skin savior has become a more mainstream occurrence, I find some of my excitement clouded by frustration. The idea of cultural appropriation is not new, and in no way am I saying that a white girl buying a Tony Moly mask at Ulta is guilty of exploiting a culture that she has no right to claim. It's so much more ambiguous than that, especially since my lack of cultural ties can theoretically put me in the same boat. I also cannot blame anyone from milking cheap, but quality skin care.      Before the explosion of K-Beauty, I was introduced to it by another Asian friend. I was super excited to hear of something coming out of Korea that isn't K-pop or North Korean refugees. It was something I could immediately latch onto because it was something easy to understand for me and it made me more ethn...

My mom bought me my first tattoo. She has a few herself, but my dad was pretty against me having any at first. Despite this, my parents love Ink Master. I'm not sure when they decided they were qualified to critique tattoos, but I can hear them make their best educated guess on who should be eliminated. Bear with me when I tell you: my dad is very conservative. He is the type of old white man that agrees with Tea Party values. He does not believe humans have anything to do with climate change. He thinks BLM is a terrorist organization. He once argued with me (to tears, I was very angry) over my cousin's gender identity because I tried to explain I do not get to label someone else. I am a sociology/anthropology major who is very socially Democratic (he likes to say bleeding heart liberal/heathen), as a millennial minority is wont to do. Tonight as they were watching Ink Master: Angels , a Black person introduced themselves as an intersex transgender genderqueer femme. Normally,...

     My identity as a Person of Color is probably the most annoying part of me to white people. Maybe it's because they hate when I call them white and call out racism that society beats into them or maybe it's because they see me as white.      With my friends and family, being adopted and raised by a white family in America, many people do not see the problem with saying that because I'm so normal that I'm not even Asian (I know, I know, next blog post, we're staying on topic). While the exact phrasing varies, the idea remains. I have assimilated to white society so well, I do not pass their racial litmus test. Maybe it's my perfect English or the fact I don't wear a hanbok everyday, but I am not ethnic enough to be Asian. Since I do not have any stereotypical identifiers, I do not fit into the box that a white society has made for "Asians/Orientals" (again, another post, so much to go through). This creates a disconnect between my race/ethnicit...