Being Chinese | Am I Chinese? In the US, the answer is complicated
To some, “Are you Chinese?” is a question about nationality. To others, it’s about ethnicity. To cover all bases, I’ve crafted a 30-word answer
“Hey, are you Chinese?” “Yes.” Done. Such exchanges were quintessentially Singaporean: short and direct.
Now based in the United States, however, I’ve discovered that introducing myself has become a diplomatic exercise with varying complexity levels. Depending on the audience and context, some situations are more entertaining (read difficult) to navigate than others.
Typically, non-Asians don’t ask if I am Chinese – that would be social suicide in the San Francisco Bay Area, where assumptions about someone’s ethnicity invite unexpected responses. Instead, it’s common practice to ask where someone is from and then grant them five to 10 seconds to introduce themselves. Although this process is straightforward, it has spawned one recurring comedy routine in my case.
Similarly, my response – “Senator, I am Singaporean. No” – has become so rehearsed it might be TikTok viral-worthy.