What it’s Like Being an Asian Male in America?

Being Chinese, being Asian, it’s a complicated thing. It’s a mix of pride and struggle, of heritage and the world’s ever-changing view of us. The media paints these broad strokes, sometimes true, sometimes not. But I have to find my own story within those brushstrokes.

I was born in Salt Lake City, grew up in Arcadia, California, surrounded by Asian culture. But it wasn’t until college that I really felt the label “Asian guy.” It was like a lightbulb went off, a feeling both familiar and strange. It’s hard to explain, like a nagging question you can’t quite answer.

We’re only 7% of America, a minority within a minority. Yet, in my corner of California, we were everywhere. But even then, I wondered: What made me different? Was it my heritage? Or just how people saw me?

The weight of stereotypes, it’s real. Racist comments, those sideways glances, the feeling of being held to a different standard — these are scars we carry. The white guy’s condescending tone, the idea that we know less somehow, it stings. But it’s complicated, isn’t it? Because for some reason, they extend a lifeline, a sense of respect, to Asian women, as if we’re not all in this together.

The Asian woman, she’s different. She doesn’t back down, she doesn’t play that game. It’s funny, isn’t it? The same white guy who talks down to the Asian man often puts the Asian woman on a pedestal. But he doesn’t really understand us, not really. He might know a few facts, but he doesn’t know our hearts.

Asian men, we’re caught in a weird place. People judge us, stereotype us, and expect us to be more than we are. We have to be the best, overachieve, to prove our worth. Look at BTS, their talent is insane, and their success shows how hard they had to work. But for every BTS, there are so many other guys, their stories untold, their struggles unseen.

We don’t get the freedom to just be ourselves. Our hobbies, our passions, our mistakes, they’re all under a microscope. People value us for what we do, not for who we are. And if what we do isn’t enough, we’re left feeling lost, trying to find…