To my fellow Bananas! Every felt like the “white” part of your cultural identity was undermined by your “more Asian” friends and family? Our Heroic Melon friend, Kevin, does a short video blog regarding that look people give you when you don’t display the appropriate amount of Asian knowledge or demeanor.

It usually boils down to language when this look of disapproval appears. Even in the 21st century, generational misunderstandings still exists between those who can speak their ethnic tongue and those who can not. Granted, with any language barrier there are bound to be linguistic misunderstandings. But in this case, the differences lie in a judgemental perception the older generation of Asians have on the younger generation of Asians. And this is where the term “banana” came about. A mildly derogatory term used to describe a younger generation of Asians whom the older generation thought were too influenced by Western cultures and societies. But today, we embrace this derogatory term as an identity to be proud of. Even if some of us can’t speak our mother tongue, we still proudly embrace the fact that we have Asian and Western traits within us.

Tell us your stories of people giving you the “Asian look of disapproval”! We’d love to hear it.

Cheers.

-phibz.