''Banana'', ''Coconut'', and ''Twinkie'' are

pejorative A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...

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 Acculturation is a process of social, psychological, and cultural change that stems from the balancing of two cultures while adapting to the prevailing culture of the society. Acculturation is a process in which an individual adopts, acquires and ...

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, ...

East Asian culture The East Asian cultural sphere, also known as the Sinosphere, the Sinic world, the Sinitic world, the Chinese cultural sphere, the Chinese character sphere encompasses multiple countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically ...

s. ''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 The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. 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

References

Further reading