Chinese Canadian (Part 2)
Chinese Canadian, Part 2/3
I don’t actually have much to say about this part that I haven’t already covered in the comic 🤔 Maybe just that I’ve thought further about the stereotypes I’ve drawn here, and I wonder how much being exposed to them had influenced my perception of myself a few years ago … though I’m not sure how I would articulate it in the context of this post description 😅
Maybe it’s the performance of feminity and sexuality to contend with an “unconventional” orientation (allosexual + aromantic)? Feeling like there’s something to prove to try and break away from stereotypes? Much to think about 🤷🏻
But yeah to any other EA folks out there please let me know if you know what I’m talking about or if it’s just me haha
[Image Descriptions:
Slide 1: Celia speaks towards the reader, rubbing the back of her head with one hand as she looks off to the side.
“People have always kind of just … assumed things about me because I’m Chinese.”
Slide 2: “Growing up, people who didn’t know me well would speak to me in a way that assumed I came from a strict family, with “tiger mom” kind of parents (even though that couldn’t be further from the truth)”
A scene from Celia’s younger years, where she has longer dark hair left down. A classmate speaks to her while they sit on the floor of a gymnasium. The classmate says ‘... and of course I’m not allowed to try ONE hobby she thinks is useless. Asian moms, am I right?’. She responds ‘My parents don’t act like that …’
Slide 3: The shot jumps back to the current comic version of Celia, who is leaning over a poster board that says “Stereotypes” in bold red lettering. Some common stereotypes are illustrated and described below (which will be explained in the next slide).
She says, “But unfortunately, those aren’t the only stereotypes.”
Slide 4: An overview of the poster Celia held. The narration at the top says “East Asian women specifically are often subject to a few common stereotypes.”
Three of these stereotypes are depicted:
The “Lotus Blossom” - a meek girl wearing a Japanese Kimono style garment is shown kneeling on the ground. A note points to her ‘Feminine, delicate, submissive’ with an underlined emphasis on submissive. A side note reads: ‘I think this is also, at least, related to how East Asians as a whole are seen as shy + childish’
The “Dragon Ladies” - a glamorous woman with a sultry expression, glamorous makeup and wavy hair is drawn. She has a dragon tattoo going down one arm, wears a tight black dress that emphasizes her cleavage, and has a dagger strapped to one thigh. The note points to her reading ‘very fierce, mysterious, sexually alluring, plus [is] a gold digger’
The “‘ABG’/Asian Baby Girl” - A more modern looking woman with light brown hair and grown out roots poses as though she is having her photo taken. She wears a tight asymmetrical black crop top and matching black high waisted short skirt. The note reads ‘Outgoing, loves partying, fashion, and sex’.
Slide 5: Celia speaks to the reader again. She has her arms crossed and her expression is unimpressed.
“Obviously, I can’t cover the nuances in this comic, but there’s a lot to unpack here.”
Slide 6: She continues, now gesturing outwards with one hand, “To start off, I think part of how being Chinese complicates my aromanticism is the way that my behaviour is read as ‘shy and reserved’ … due to the dichotomy in stereotypes. I’m not really the “Asian Bad Girl”,”
Slide 7: “- therefore it’s a lot easier to read me as Shy and Demure “good” girl (bleh) from a traditional family. Which in turn is ascribed as the reason why I’m not showing any active interest in anyone.”
In the background are the cards from the previous stereotype drawings. The card with the “Lotus Blossom” girl is stacked on top of the card with the “ABG/Asian Baby Girl”.
Slide 8: Celia rants with her hands held out in front of her, “Worse yet, when I’ve professed a general lack of interest in flirting/pursuing relationships, other Asian diaspora have assumed, or even straight up told me, that my general discomfort towards romance is rooted in my so-called traditional upbringing … that I literally didn’t have.”
Slide 9:
A split panel slide. On the top panel, Celia sits at a desk now, working on a different comic. She has a computer screen in front of her with a script, and draws on the iPad in front of her. Off to the side is a phone holder, a teacup, and a sketch of herself on a piece of paper, with notes scrawled around the drawing.
On the panel below, a close up of the sketch is shown. The drawing depicts the current comic Celia in a sketchier style. Most of the notes scrawled around are unclear, but a few words indicate something along the lines of “small”, “cute”, “Not into [anyone]”, but most notably a bar across her face reads “good girl?”
“So I’d say that being Chinese can weirdly nullify my expression as an aromantic person. I feel like some people will write over my non-interest in romance with a stereotype.”]