It was July 2002 when I stepped out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and into the streets of Saigon, revisiting my homeland and my past. The heavy humid air bore on me and my skin began forming beads of sweat. Here it was, the Vietnam that I had so missed when I first came to America in 1992 — the noisy crowded streets, the musty air, and the people who spoke my native … [Read more...] about Of Shame and Pride: Confronting My Vietnamese Identity
Women's Rights
Understanding the Asian Fetish Through the Colonial Logic of Pornography (NSFW)
In response to "Consuming Asianness," Mr. David Regenold asked a very thoughtful follow-up question that I haven't, until now, had a chance to address. He wanted to know, "Exactly where is this ["domestic" and "submissive" stereotype of Asian women] coming from? White Guys? Or is it a reflection of historical Asian domestic expectations?" I'd like to answer this question by … [Read more...] about Understanding the Asian Fetish Through the Colonial Logic of Pornography (NSFW)
Garden Grove Ends Nude Vietnamese Coffee Houses
This week, Garden Grove City Council voted unanimously to ban smoking, arcade games, and nudity in coffeehouses. In a city of 166,332, of which 40-45% are Vietnamese, the ordinance is aimed primarily at Vietnamese coffeehouses. For those not familiar with Vietnamese coffeehouses, or “cafe om,” they are as close as they come to strip clubs in the conservative Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Garden Grove Ends Nude Vietnamese Coffee Houses
United Nations Pledged $4.7M for Gender Equality in Vietnam
In 2007 I traveled back to Vietnam alone for the first time. I was amazed to see that all the streets in my little town are now paved and glittered with traffic lights and fancy mopeds. There are now large factories bordering the town and small businesses popping up at every corner. There is even a bank! Vietnam today is far from what I remembered it to be during the first … [Read more...] about United Nations Pledged $4.7M for Gender Equality in Vietnam