So, What Are You?: A Multiracial Perspective On IdentityPosted in Articles, Asian Diaspora, Campus Life, Identity Development/Psychology, Media Archive, United States on 2015-01-06 01:27Z by Steven |
So, What Are You?: A Multiracial Perspective On Identity
Jossle Magazine
2014-11-18
Leilani Stacy
Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts
“So, what are you?”
In a word, “Wasian,” or more accurately, “Multiracial.” Specifically, I’m a quarter Japanese, a “mutt” of white—Scottish, Irish, Pennsylvania Dutch, French, English, German, Danish—and probably a little Native American (don’t worry, I didn’t put that down just to get into colleges) and, contrary to my name, not Hawaiian.
So when the issue of race comes up, one question often arises: Where do I fit in?
I’m sure if I ever visited Japan, people wouldn’t consider me “Japanese enough.” Meanwhile in the US, I get a little too tan to be considered “White enough.” Additionally, I’ve never felt comfortable joining a Japanese or Asian-American cultural club. And when people start talking about “cultural” traditions or life at home, forget it…
Read the entire article here.