The Queer Asian Experience

The Queer Asian Experience

My name is Charisse Liu and this is my final research project for ASAMST 20AC Summer 2022. My topic is on the queer Asian-American community and the unique experiences they navigate. As someone who identifies as both queer and Asian-American, I recognize that there is a lack of dialogue that has led to a limited understanding of the AAPI LGBTQ+ experience. Please note that I will focus mostly on East Asians in order to not make my topic too broad, because different Asian ethnicities have different experiences. By exploring this, I hope to shed light on the complexities of our identities and foster a more nuanced understanding.

I will begin by providing statistics on the queer Asian community and the issues that they encounter. I will then touch on AAPI LGBT history by highlighting two Asian activists that have contributed to queer history: Christopher Lee and Dan Choi. Next, I will focus on the portrayal of queerness and Asian identity in contemporary culture by showcasing notable figures who identify as both queer and Asian. I will also conduct interviews with Marissa Lee, Ashleigh Abe, and Ally Huang, three queer Asians from my community, on their experiences with queer Asian intersectionality. Then, I will discuss the intersectionality of being queer and Asian and how it impacts people both in the spotlight as queer Asians and in my own community. Through these various avenues of exploration, I aim to create a comprehensive and enlightening discussion on the issues and experiences of queer Asians. By amplifying their voices and sharing their stories, I hope to foster greater understanding, acceptance, and celebration of the queer Asian community.

issues the community faces by gender

issues the community faces by gender

Male-identifying:

There is a misconception that Asian-American men are more likely to be gay due to the way that Asians are stereotypically perceived as passive, subservient, and feminine. In order to be accepted by other gay people, they often find themselves compelled to either reject these perceptions by presenting themselves as extremely masculine and dominant, or to conform to the stereotype of a passive, feminine gay man. They are subject to a black-and-white binary, leaving no room for an intermediate identity for gay Asian men.

Gay Asian men encounter a unique challenge within the queer community, where they are welcomed but not desired. Many gay men have shared their experiences of being included in queer spaces but finding that few queer individuals are interested in dating them, except for "rice queens" - white gay men who objectify and fetishize Asian men.

Non-male identifying:

While gay Asian-American men may have some representation (albeit problematic) in society, the same cannot be said for Asian-Americans who like non-men. Asian-American lesbians often face harmful stereotypes that portray them as either asexual or hypersexualized objects who exist solely to serve men. These stereotypes stem from the perception of Asians as feminine and submissive, which further limits the possibility of challenging sexual norms and embracing queerness for Asian women. This is particularly pronounced for those who present themselves as more masculine.

Even if Asian-American lesbians manage to find acceptance in white spaces, they may still be regarded as the "token Asian," having their sexuality overshadowed by their race.

Hayley Kiyoko is a lesbian Japanese-American singer, actress and songwriter. Her breakthrough as a queer artist was the single and LGBT-anthem "Girls Like Girls". She is known as Lesbian Jesus to her fans. She has released four EPs and one album, Expectations. Although she has always felt in touch with her sexuality, Kiyoko says it wasn't until she got older that she was able to really tap into her Japanese heritage.

“For most of my adolescence, my sexuality kind of took over my struggle with fitting into society, and then as I was able to learn and accept myself, later in life, I started to unpack my culture and my roots.

I just didn't really have the space to do so when I was younger, because I was just extremely gay and I didn't have an outlet or felt like I had a community that I belonged to, and so that really took over most of my youth."

-Hayley Kiyoko

Joel Kim Booster is a gay Korean-American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He co-produced and wrote for Big Mouth and The Other Two. In 2022, he wrote, produced, and starred in the Hulu romantic comedy Fire Island. Kim Booster was adopted and grew up in a white family, which led to a lifelong search for identity. In interviews, he has jokingly stated that he knew he was gay before he knew he was Asian.

Question 2: Do you feel more aligned with your racial identity or your sexuality or both equally? Why do you think so?

Marissa Lee

The presence of intersectionality means that people may encounter overlapping forms of discrimination and marginalization based on various aspects of their identity, such as race, sexual orientation, and gender. This intersectional experience can create additional barriers and complexities in navigating personal and social spaces.

Intersectionality impacts people due to the distinct challenges experienced by queer Asian men and non-men, as mentioned earlier. Intersectionality can also make it feel as though one's multiple identities cannot coexist simultaneously.

A problem that queer Asians encounter is the tug-of-war between their racial identity and their sexuality. As stated by Asian America chapter 6,

“Asian Americans have had to choose whether to identify as Asian American or as LGBTQ, for each excludes the other.”

Gay Asian Americans are perceived to be more American than their straight counterparts because American culture is often perceived as more accepting and inclusive of queer individuals compared to some other cultural contexts. This judgment of increased American identity can also be perceived as a decrease in Asian identity or a negation of their ethnic background. This can be both good and bad, as gay Asian-Americans are probably less likely to have their American identity questioned, but being gay comes with its own set of problems.

There is a study by the journal Social Psychology and Personality Science that involved 345 adults who were recruited around the University of Washington campus. Participants were randomly assigned to read a description of a person named "John" who was identified as either "an Asian-American man" or "a gay Asian-American man."

After reading the description, participants were asked to answer nine questions about John that covered topics like his English fluency and level of integration into American culture. The results revealed that the version of John that was gay was perceived as significantly more American compared to the version where his sexual orientation wasn’t mentioned.

This study suggests that when John's sexual orientation was revealed as gay, it had an impact on how participants perceived his level of American-ness.

Intersectionality plays a significant role in shaping individuals' experiences by subjecting them to overlapping forms of discrimination and marginalization based on various aspects of their identity. This is particularly relevant for queer Asian men and non-men, who face distinct challenges, such as how their sexuality influences perceptions of cultural integration and American identity.

conclusion

conclusion

bibliography

bibliography