I am Oriental: In Defense of a Misunderstood Term

 

People are usually quite surprised to hear this, but I am the daughter of a Chinese mother. My father is Swedish, and I am usually perceived to be white. My mother, her family, and her Chinese friends have always referred to themselves as being “Oriental” as opposed to “Asian.” I never thought anything of it until I entered university. It was during an English class that I first learned that describing a south east Asian person as being “Oriental” was considered offensive. I hadn’t used the term in class, and wasn’t being reprimanded or anything like that. Rather, it just came up during the course of class discussion. I asked my mother about this, and she hadn’t ever heard anything about the term being offensive, and did not find it offensive personally. It seemed to me that (relatively) privileged, academic Whites were attempting to dictate to people like my mother what they should be called.

The now-offensive view of the word “Oriental” to describe a person (but not an inanimate object) stems from the work of Edward Said. He was critical of the way Europeans viewed the cultures of Asia as being exotic, different, “other.” Academics concluded that to call people of the Middle East or Far East, “Oriental,” was to view the people of this part of the world in a eurocentric light. Whether Said, himself, would have agreed that the term, itself, was inherently offensive and needed to be changed, I have no idea. But, even if he did, he was one voice coming out of that part of the world. But, for some reason, his voice (or the perception of what he would say) has spread through the academic world like wildfire and has infected most of mainstream American society. The term, “Oriental,” to describe a person is now officially politically incorrect and unacceptable; even considered racist by many.

This is where I have a problem. As I mentioned, Said is but one Oriental/Asian voice weighing in on this debate. I have found numerous discussions about term preference on the internet, and have firsthand experience to know that the Asian/Oriental people, themselves, are not in near perfect agreement as to whether of not the term “Oriental” is offensive or not. I found that the vast majority were neutral to it. Some found it offensive, and an equal amount PREFERRED it! Essentially, the two terms are the equivalent to African American vs. Black; both equally acceptable terms. Said is a published author, respected thinker, and well educated man. However, this does not place his opinion above any other Asian/Oriental person’s. We all have the right to a voice in this debate.

Oriental literally means “the East.” Yes, of course this is east relative to Europe, but everyone bases their perspective relative to themselves; where they live, and where they come from. My Chinese relatives refer to Whites as “Westerners” (i.e. occidental; the counterpart to oriental), Caucasians, and Europeans. The problems between the races, especially historically, has nothing to do with them identifying each other as being different (different physical appearances; east vs. west,;different languages, traditions, and cultures). Rather, problems arise when we fail to recognise those who are different as being human beings of equal inherent value to ourselves. There is nothing wrong with recognising that someone is man, woman, blonde, brunette, White, Oriental. It is when we elevate ourselves above others, on a fundamental level (i.e. “my soul is worth more than their souls”) that another group is wronged.

I have no problem with the term Asian. It describes my mother’s people by the continent they originate from. I simply prefer the term Oriental, as it is what I grew up hearing, and find nothing offensive about it. I do find it ironic, however, that “Asian” is used by Americans to describe only South East Asians. People from countries like India, Afghanistan, and Iran are also Asian, but are excluded from this designation in the United States. I find it ironic, as these same politically correct academic types who are pushing us to use term Asian to only refer to CERTAIN Asians, are the same people who are upset about the term “America” only being used to refer to the United States of America, rather than North America as a whole, and possibly even South America (together being “The Americas”). Oriental is not an offensive term in most other parts of the world, as well. This suggests that it’s politically incorrect status is in itself AMERICENTRIC.

I think that we Asians/Orientals can decide on our own, individually, and not necessarily as a group, what we want to be called. We do not need input from the White, academic world. Just view us as equally worthy human beings/fellow souls created by God (and in His image), and we will see by your actions that you truly value us as equals. We do not need to have our name changed; changing it doesn’t right any wrongs, by the way. I respect Asians/Orientals who prefer the former term, and I, likewise, would like to have respect and acceptance for what I prefer to be called. After all, when it really comes down to it, “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.”