stereotypes - how much do i hate thee?

while making a drink with another boy at a party, a vacuous white twink comes in to ask if he could have one. sure, its a party, we're happy to share. VWT proceeds to say gosh you two speak much better english than that asian boy i was chatting with out there. i didn't understand a word he was saying. i handed him his drink feeling a little insulted and wanting to say why thank you, i had plenty of time to learn english while i was in a boat on the way australia when i was a child. but because i'm a gracious guest, i leave the kitchen biting my tongue.

sam de brito wrote an excellent opinion piece in the herald two sundays ago about stereotypes and how we are choose to hold on to perceptions around race. he talks about his perception of asian baristas making bad coffee which i'm sure isn't true since the september issue of the sydney magazine had two asians amongst the five photographed in an article on the best baristas in sydney.

i hate being stereotyped.

just because i'm gay and asian, it doesn't mean:

- i speak bad english.
- i am a gold digging mail order bride looking for a sponsor.
- i work in retail and have to go to work on sunday.
- i like older white men.
- i only like asian men.
- i only go to the midnight shift.
- i intend to seduce/steal your boyfriend because there is a dire shortage of good rice queens in sydney.

we could spend our entire lives putting people in compartments but i wish i lived in a community which isn't hung up on stereotypes. we already have other battles to fight sometimes just being gay.

so if you have your stereotypical views about gay asian boys, let me dispel some of them. and i might be speaking for quite a few of you too:

- i've learnt and spoken english my entire life
- i moved to australia on a skilled independent visa with no sponsorship required
- i have a fabulous career and make decent money
- i like my men smart, successful and in good shape -- age and race are not pre-requisites but looks are [shoot me]
- you will never hold a good rice queen down because they are built to wander

breathe. think happy thoughts.