I'm considered a "mutt", there is French and American blood in both of my parents. As a result I'm one of those people who's race you can't really quite place, you can definitely see my Asian side, but I guess you can tell that there is more but you can't really quite put your finger on it.
How is your life going? I guess I'm pretty fortunate, I'm a happy, healthy, relatively well adjusted person. I'm graduating school this May, and I'm going to start college this fall, so I'm definitely very excited. I love the people in my life, my friends, family etc.
Do you have a boyfriend/husband and how did you meet them? I have had boyfriends in the past, but I'm not really looking to be in a relationship now, because of the imminent doom, (college starting in the fall).
Are there experiences you felt were unique to you because of your race? Definitely a big factor in who I am as a person. I was raised in a typical strict tiger parenting style household (piano lessons, tutoring, no television), I definitely feel that it has an impact on who I am as a person today. Growing up I used to be jealous of my friends, who could play video games all day, and had TV's in their rooms, and their parents never seemed to shout at them no matter how bad in school they did. But now looking back on it, I honestly feel like I benefitted from it. I've noticed that some people nowadays, can barely hold a decent conversation, I used to be cooped up in my house all day, and to pass the time, I would read. I read like crazy when I was a kid. I discovered my love of literature from it. I doubt that I would know that if I was allowed to watch TV all day. Also my love of news and radio. Every time I went anywhere with my dad, we would always listen to NPR, and even now when I'm driving, I still like to listen to NPR. As I gradually got older my parents got more relaxed and I would even daresay that they're not as strict as typical American parents ex. They have bought me condoms, and let me have sex in the house. (They know I'm gay). I think the way they raised me from a typical Asian household, has shaped who I am, and I think I wouldn't have been raised this way if I was brought up in a white household.
Do you think life would be different if you weren't Asian or a POC? Yes, I definitely do think, but I wouldn't want to change it. I think being raised in a different culture than the one you're surrounded in, helps expand your view, and makes you more aware of what's going on. Not only along with that, also the way you are raised, I feel my parents raised me to pursue my intellectual pursuits and as a result, I know the strengths and weaknesses of who I am as a person. I definitely think I wouldn't have the self confidence level that I do today, if I wasn't a person of color. Being a slightly effeminate openly gay Asian in the South is no easy feat, and I don't think I would've had the self confidence to come out if my parents didn't raise me to push my intellectual limits. I wouldn't change it. I am me, and I love who I am.
Whew! Sorry for the long post.