nwasianweekly.com
Sept. 2, 2006

Illlustration by Teresa Huynh

By Tiffany Ng
For the Northwest Asian Weekly

Am I just another little Asian girl that no one notices because we’re infamous for being small and quiet? Or am I loud and crazy as hell to avoid having to be categorized as a “typical Asian girl.” Maybe if you didn’t just stand there and stare; maybe if you tried to get to know me; maybe there wouldn’t be such a thing as a “typical Asian girl”.

“I am” the girl behind the brown eyes, the black hair, the yellow skin, the five- foot-tall body, and the small hands and feet. But what lies behind those brown eyes, and underneath that yellow skin of my small hands and feet…you would never know, because you never gave me the time of day. All you do is stand and stare, sticking labels on me, such as quiet, crazy, short, small, smart, bad driver, strong accent, cheap, Asian, Buddhist and lives on Beacon Hill.

Have you taken into consideration that I’m something other than those things? Maybe I’m actually a good driver? Maybe I don’t have an accent? And maybe I actually am from America. I love the skin I’m in, and I love who I am, but who am I? Maybe if you would look past my appearances and into my soul, you would find that…

I’m the girl behind those dark chocolate eyes, the sun-browned hair, a tan that never stays and a body that never seems to grow. I am a short Asian American girl who lives on Beacon Hill. I am an Asian American girl that has to live up to her parents’ high expectations or face seeing how disappointed and ashamed of me they are. I am an Asian American girl trying to cut myself loose of being a “proper Chinese girl,” I just want to be who I am, and do what I want to do. I am an Asian American girl who has built layers of skin to protect herself from the cruel stereotypes that people have categorized her as. I am an Asian American girl making her way through life, fighting the battles and obstacles that I have been presented with. If you’re not going to take the time to get to know me, and rather just shove me in some category that other Asian girls go in, then all I have to say is…Stop labeling me!

Tiffany Ng can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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