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…