True-Life Microaggressions or How I Learned To Live In America
by J.A. Pak
Where are you from? No, I mean where are you really from? (tone: angry)
I told her American guys just don't find you Asian gals attractive until they get much older. (tone: sympathetic)
You speak English so well. (tone: condescending)
You look just like one of those tiny dolls they give away at carnivals! (tone: enthusiastic)
That's not how you pronounce your name. (tone: angry)
Guys don't find Asian girls attractive until after they've been overseas in the military. (tone: knowing)
I was with my Asian/Jewish/Black friend... (tone: clueless)
I suppose we shouldn't tweet that we play the piano because now we sound stereotypically Asian. (tone: ?)
Why is your writing so minimal? I suppose it's because you're Asian and Asian writing is like that. (tone: “I'm the queen bitch here and don't you forget it.”)
You look just like those girls I saw in Malaysia! (tone: batty)
I don't like Asian girls with curly hair. Asians should have straight hair. (tone: “I don't like my worldview messed with.”)
Does your name mean anything? (tone: curious)
You're the first Asian I've liked since Chiang Kai-shek and he was a bastard. (tone: drunk)
You got any Asian stories? (tone: “I'm only interested in making money off you.”)
You don't look Korean/Japanese/Chinese... (tone: baffled)
No, you're wrong. Korean is just like Chinese. They both use pictograms. (tone: annoying)
What are you? (tone: various)
I'm sure no malice was intended. (tone: denial)
I told her American guys just don't find you Asian gals attractive until they get much older. (tone: sympathetic)
You speak English so well. (tone: condescending)
You look just like one of those tiny dolls they give away at carnivals! (tone: enthusiastic)
That's not how you pronounce your name. (tone: angry)
Guys don't find Asian girls attractive until after they've been overseas in the military. (tone: knowing)
I was with my Asian/Jewish/Black friend... (tone: clueless)
I suppose we shouldn't tweet that we play the piano because now we sound stereotypically Asian. (tone: ?)
Why is your writing so minimal? I suppose it's because you're Asian and Asian writing is like that. (tone: “I'm the queen bitch here and don't you forget it.”)
You look just like those girls I saw in Malaysia! (tone: batty)
I don't like Asian girls with curly hair. Asians should have straight hair. (tone: “I don't like my worldview messed with.”)
Does your name mean anything? (tone: curious)
You're the first Asian I've liked since Chiang Kai-shek and he was a bastard. (tone: drunk)
You got any Asian stories? (tone: “I'm only interested in making money off you.”)
You don't look Korean/Japanese/Chinese... (tone: baffled)
No, you're wrong. Korean is just like Chinese. They both use pictograms. (tone: annoying)
What are you? (tone: various)
I'm sure no malice was intended. (tone: denial)
Impacting. Good writing, JA. This form works well. *
Thanks so much, Sam. Hope the parenthetical info wasn't too confusing.
I think the parenthetical interruptions strengthen the piece.
Oh, excellent. I also think the parenthetical info works, and works well.
Yeah, the parenthetical comments work. Gives it a play like affect. Like the bizarre dialogue too. *
Thanks for the feedback, Sam, Beate & John. It's nice to know that what's working in my head is working in other heads too. And thanks so much for the faves!
Biting, necessary social commentary. Yes.
Thanks so much, Amanda! Sadly, Guernica didn't want it for their race issue.