I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood. Majority of my friends were white, and I am often referred to as a "banana"; yellow on the outside, white on the inside. However, I have remained as close as possible to my Vietnamese heritage. Although I don't speak Vietnamese, I have never been uninformed about my ancestry or traditions. I have always felt slightly insecure and isolated because of the different color of my skin. I have always struggled to feel confident in my body because of my lack of representation in media and television.
And then Sandra Oh was the first Asian woman to be nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actress category. And then Crazy Rich Asians began showing in theaters and took the top US box office spot during opening weekend. And then To All the Boys, I've Loved Before was released on Netflix, the first romantic comedy I have ever seen to intentionally star an Asian woman with a white male love interest. And I began to feel represented.
Both movies, Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I've Loved Before, contain themes of Asian cultures being integrated into American lifestyles and vice versa. Crazy Rich Asians focus on the common conception that Asians that have been "tainted" by Western culture are less than those who have not and finding a balance between the two different lifestyles. Meanwhile, the protagonist of To All the Boys I've Loved Before is half-Caucasian and half-white. Scenes throughout the movie integrate Korean snacks, whose sales have reportedly sky-rocketed since the release of the Netflix movie. It brings to the big screen the commonality of bi-racial families and how they balance American and Asian cultures in the household.
We still have so much farther to go, but Asian actors and actresses are finally beginning to gain recognition and roles that are much deserved. More importantly, the increasing presence of Asian actors has allowed the Asian community to begin working towards dispelling the stereotype that Asians always follow typical career paths in fields such as medicine, technology or business. We must continue integrating Asian cast members into big movies and Asian American storylines. We must continue to discredit the "banana" insult and discourage others from looking down on Asian Americans for being just that – Asian and American. Because it is not an identity, I should have to feel ashamed of. And it is not an identity that should be hidden from television, movies or the media.
