funny story about "asian"

eye_candy1870 · Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 86

When i was doing my first law degree at University (Cardiff), during freshers week I noticed there was a 'Asian' society club and a 'chinese club'. Having lived in UK since age 8 I knew the 'asian' club wasnt caterd for me.LOL. As all uni students will know however, there are PLENTY of foreign students particulary from S.E Asia. Being a FOB (fresh of the boat) many of these people (mainly japanese) went to the opening night of the 'asian' society night. I cannot even explain to you the expression of both the sari dressed leicester born indian girl club president and the 1st year japanese girls in red and white striped stockings and burberrys handbag upon meeting each other!!

tenpence · Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Posts: 174

Loads of Chinese still think of themselves as Asian over here. When they were looking for nominees for Asian Who's Who, just a few years ago, there were loads of entries from Chinese people.

I must admit that before the tick box for 'Chinese' was introduced on those equal opportunity forms, I used to tick Asian...

Not FOB, but just bad at filling forms?

oik · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 12 Location: london

its a common occurance - but its pretty much a british thing - more to do with britains historical ties with what was asia and what was the orient.
ie. indian asians came from asia and the chinese / japanese from the orient.

i often see this confustion with people who are not familiar with british history and with those who are not from the uk.

Miss E · Joined: 29 Jul 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Central London

Its interesting to read everyone's perspectives on this subject...

I was born in the UK and have lived here all my life, but still I find it strange when I see "Asian Society" or read the term "Asian" in the newspaper knowing that the British or at least English specifically mean Pakistani / Indian.

I just think the term is used not to upset those from the Indian subcontinent, since Pakistanis (who are Muslim) generally detest their Indian (Hindu/Sikh) neighbours and vice versa. Still Pakistan, like Bangladesh are relatively new countries. They were both created in the 20th century through partition. So why is the term "Asian" used to only mean these ethnic groups? After all we don't say "European" just to mean English and Scottish do we? We say it to signify those who come from the wider European continent.

It cheeses me off... I'm Eurasian (chinese and scottish), but if I say that I am (and that person hasn't met me, i.e. filling in ethnicity in a form), people in the UK think I'm Indian and something else!!!

GweiLo · Joined: 22 Feb 2004 Posts: 149

You know I have never considered that maybe " the term is used not to upset those from the Indian subcontinent", but I think you could be right.

I recall in my youth we would refer to all of those from the subcontinent as Indian, but I suppose that would have been increasingly likely to offend as India was partitioned. I guess "Asian" may have come to be used simply for that reason.

I do understand why it annoys you, but I am not sure how to change it.

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