Viewpoints On the Outside Looking In | On the Outside Looking In |
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Gabby Malpas I've been reading the various articles and postings on the dimsum site after a chance introduction a couple of weeks ago. I find the articles fascinating and insightful but I'm still left wondering 'where do I fit in?' I'm a full-blooded Chinese woman (I think), mid thirties who was adopted at 2 weeks old into a white catholic kiwi/english family in New Zealand. All my life I've struggled against the inevitable racism received in the playground and well-meaning friends and family. I've received everything from open taunts to well meaning people speaking very slowly and loudly so I'll understand: from age 4 holding hands with my mother, to being introduced to new friends in my 20s. I think the open prejudice recieved from other Asians while travelling through South East Asia in the late 80s was an experience I won't forget in a while (I was travelling with 2 white guys so I must be a prostitute - right?). I've lived in the UK for over 12 years now and it's sadly only in the last 3 years or so that I've started to feel comfortable with my origins. I can now look back on a lot of my experiences and laugh and yes, I've broken just about every asian stereotype going. I'd love to hear more from this angle - and share my experiences: for example: 1) how when I walk into Chinatown London on a Sunday with my white boyfriend (he's better at chopsticks than I am) I still get dissaproving looks from the venerable matrons serving tea and minding shops 2) I love asian food, I cook great asian food of different types, but I can honestly say that the only rice at our table when growing up was rice pudding - can it be genetic? ;-). |
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