''Banana'', ''Coconut'', and ''Twinkie'' are
pejorative terms, primarily used for
Asian Americans
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...
who are perceived to have been
assimilated and
acculturated into mainstream American culture and who do not conform to typical
South Asian
South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, ...
or
East Asian cultures.
''Banana'' and ''Twinkie'' refer to a person being perceived as 'yellow on the outside, white on the inside', while ''Coconut'' is used to refer to darker-skinned Asians, such as those from South Asia or the
Philippines. Any of these terms may be used by Asians and Asian Americans, as well as nonAsian Americans, to disparage Asians or Asian Americans for a lack of perceived authenticity or conformity, and by nonAsian Americans to praise their assimilation into mainstream white, Anglo, Christian
European-American culture
The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The Uni ...
.
See also
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American-Born Confused Desi
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Boba liberal
Boba liberal is a term mostly used within the Asian diaspora communities in the West, especially in the United States. It describes someone of East or Southeast Asian descent living in the West who has a superficial liberal or centrist outlook. The ...
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Internalized racism
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Jook-sing
''Jook-sing'' or ''zuk-sing'' (竹升) is a Cantonese term for an overseas Chinese person who was born in a Western environment or a Chinese person who more readily or strongly identifies with Western culture than traditional Chinese culture.
...
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Twink (gay slang)
''Twink'' is gay slang for a gay man in his late teens to twenties whose traits may include a slim to average physique, a youthful appearance that may belie an older age, having little or no body hair, flamboyancy, and general physical attra ...
References
Further reading
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Anti-Asian slurs
Asian-American issues
English words
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