Korean-American Identity Negotiation

“…the intercultural identity of Korean American students is continually negotiated through their communicative interactions both with the U.S. host culture and the Korean heritage culture” 

(Jung & Lee, 2004).

Twinkie

In the clip above, actor John Cho, who played Harold in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle made a reference to the term Twinkie. Twinkie is a slang term used to describe Korean-Americans who are “yellow” on the outside and “white” on the inside. Twinkies essentially look Korean but they are “white” in terms of their complete assimilation into American culture. Twinkie is used to describe a Korean-American who has neglected, or has a lack of Korean cultural and social norms incorporated into their lifestyle. It is a term used mostly by Korean-Americans to describe other Korean-Americans (Jung & Lee, 2004).

Fob or F.O.B.

F.O.B. stands for “Fresh off the Boat”. Fob is a slang term used by Asian American groups, especially amongst Korean-Americans. When referring to a Korean Fob specifically, the term Fob signifies a Korean who has immigrated to the United States. A Fob usually makes little to no effort to assimilate into American culture, thus preserving and strengthening only their Korean ethnic identity (Jeon, 2007).

Twinkie vs Fob

The video below provides some examples of Twinkie and Fob characteristics from the perspective of various college students. In the video, Twinkies are referred to as Korean-Americans and Fobs are referred to as Koreans. Though many of the qualities described are blatant stereotypes, it does help paint a better picture of the differences between the two identity categories.

My Perspective

The terms Twinkie and Fob are prevalent in discourse among Korean-Americans and even Korean international students studying in the U.S. In my opinion, the terms Fob and Twinkie no longer hold the same negative connotations as they once did. Initially, both terms were created to refer to a Korean-American who was too much on one side of the identity spectrum. Fobs are “too Korean” and Twinkies are “too White” (Kang & Hackman, 2012).

From my own personal experience and observation, I believe these slang terms are used today more loosely and only as a way to distinguish between the different Korean groups living in the United States. For example, during my undergraduate years at SUNY Binghamton, I was involved in KASA or the Korean American Student Association. There was also another active Korean organization on campus called BUKSA (Binghamton University Korean Student Association). KASA was considered to be the Twinkie group and BUKSA was known as the Fob group. KASA and BUKSA had many joint events and members from both organizations maintained close friendships. It was not uncommon for KASA members to refer to BUKSA members as Fobs, and for BUKSA members to refer to KASA members as Twinkies. No one took offense to these terms, as they were solely used for the purpose of distinction. There was no competition of which group was better, and who was more Korean and who was more American. The truth is that Twinkies are more “Americanized” and Fobs are more “Koreanized” in terms of cultural beliefs, values, and assimilation. Both groups accepted each other and had a lot to learn from the other. Fobs and Twinkies can relate because ultimately, they are of Korean ethnicity and living in the United States. 

English Language Learners And Their Association With Media

         English Language Learners (ELLs) of all ages have enough trouble learning the language in school and one factor of their success in the language can be easily fixed.  Studies show that ELLs’ identities are either misrepresented or ignored throughout the school day, and educators can help ease some of the misconceptions.  Research shows that adding media literacy, pop culture, and critical media analysis to the curriculum appropriately, can help give ELL students a feeling of ‘belonging’ to the school environment.  

Nazo

         To start, Critical Media Analysis (CMA) is one way to “both maintain and disrupt dominant discourses that shape language learners’ identity” (Chamberlin-Quinlisk, 44).  For example, the popular comedy, “Big Daddy,” focuses on the character, Nazo, played by Rob Schnieder.  Nazo is portrayed as  “disheveled” with long, messy hair, and is always in the same restaurant delivery outfit. Throughout the film, Nazo is never seen in his own home and his culture or native language is never mentioned.  However, due to his accent and use of slang, Julian, the five-year-old boy in the film, “negatively judges Nazo’s worth as a communicator and person.” Nazo is reminded of his inability to read English three times and loses his temper four times throughout the movie (50). In the youtube video below you will find a popular scene from “Big Daddy” portraying Nazo’s role in the film. 

         Comedies like “Big Daddy” tend to show foreigners as the comic relief of the film.  Unfortunately, these popular movies do not help ELL students gain respect from their peers, which leads them to hide their individuality in the classroom.  Based on a study involving the critical media analysis of this movie, students were able to discuss their opinions about Nazo’s identity and how it holds true in the real world.  Some conclusions that were made by the students were that Nazo was accepted by Sonnie (Adam Sandler) because he does not threaten Sonnie’s power, and does not try to challenge his place in society.  Also, Nazo is not portrayed as an equal in this film. For example, his friendship with Sonnie is different than Sonnie’s friendships with other men because Nazo does not contribute equally to the friendship, and therefore Sonnie views him as different. Lastly, the students realized that “Nazo shows little desire, ambition, or ability to change his position” (52) in society throughout the film.  “The negative association between accented speech and incompetence that Nazo represents is unfortunately a reality for many speakers of varieties of English in our own and other professions where job competence may be judged by one’s native-language status” (52).

How Can Teachers Encourage Identity Within Their Classroom?

         In reality, some ELL students perceive themselves as media represents them.  English speaking students use the false representations from media to develop an opinion about the ELL students in their class as well.  At any grade level, students are usually fascinated with pop culture.  It becomes their topic of conversation and their fun on the playground. However, some ELL students are not familiar with these popular TV shows, symbols, and characters so this alone causes them to not fit in.  Studies show that when students are interested in the material or topic, they tend to learn better and have more motivation to learn. So, by bringing pop culture into the curriculum, teachers can build their rapport with students, and students will be more motivated in class (Duff, 482).  This will ultimately create the ideal learning environment.

         In order for ELL students to feel comfortable conversing in the classroom, they have to have a sense of familiarity of the topic, and be able to relate to other people in the class.  Teachers can show short clips of TV shows, or bring in magazine articles based on popular stars to have students study in class (Vize, 79).  This way, the students who do not have access to these “popular” topics at home, will be introduced to it during school, where they can build a relationship with their peers through discussion and classroom activities.  Understanding perspective is a key aspect of media literacy and “it is helpful to provide content in more than one format (film, text, online, etc.)” (Vize, 81). In the past, “silence protected them from humiliation but did not help them gain access to the valued cultural capital and practices of their English-speaking peers” (Duff, 484).  Now, ELL students can make their own sense of humor, talents, and wit accessible to their peers, which leads to them having and sharing their sense of identity.  

(Vize, 80)

Performing Gender in Politics

“In what sense… is gender an act?”, Judith Butler asks in her book, “Gender Trouble”. It is unusual think of “gender” as something that acts or performs. Yet it performs persistently and aggressively. It performs according to our social norms and daily habits and our identity is subconsciously embedded in that performance.  Gender performativity is a theory that defines how gender is constructed through patterns of repetitive actions. While it is modified differently, Butler further explains “in other ritual social drama, the action of gender requires a performance that is repeated. This repetition is at once a reenactment and reexperiencing of a set of meaning already socially established” (Butler 140).

Several studies have investigated the performativity of gender in different social settings. What is particularly noteworthy is the construction of gender in the political arena. The fact that political institutions as well as decision-making powers are typically described as masculine adversarial forums, it therefore creates limitations for women to act in their full capacity.
The lack of female representation in political institutions is a problem that persists due to the way women are evaluated by the public, the media and their male counterparts. For example, women who debate on the Congress  platform or the British parliament are judged not only by their political ideas, but  by a standard of masculinity; a standard male politicians are not judged under since it is already assumed for them. Female politicians, on the other hand,  have to downplay any emotions and act aggressively to be regarded as strong effective leaders.

So why female politicians act in accordance with “malelike” characteristics, rather than “femalelike” characteristics?  One theory is that women have not previously held positions in office as they do today. Therefore, by establishing themselves as valid and serious politicians, they have to abandon their femininity in exchange for masculinity. This choice would seems the only other option available due to the pressure of gender bias within the political domain.

Gender performativity propagates gender stereotypes constantly. Sylvia Show’s “Gender and Politics in the Devolved Assemblies” indicates that the House of Commons and the Assemblies of the United Kingdom are male dominated spaces where females can be easily manipulated.  In her article, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly states, “People here think it is their divine right to shout at a woman; some felt that women were particularly targeted because they think they will just give her a hard time and she will fall in and collapse”. (Shaw 88). http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/gender_and_politics_in_the_devolved_assemblies  In other words, male politicians use aggressive tactics to manipulate women under  the false conceptions of “female fragility”

In an article titled, “What Margaret Thatcher can teach Hillary Clinton” published in the National Journal, April, 2013. Michael Hirsh draws a comparison between Clinton and Thatcher, highlighting the similarities between the two ladies. He labels Mrs. Clinton as the Iron lady of America in comparison with Mrs. Thatcher. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/what-margaret-thatcher-can-teach-hillary-clinton-20130408.  Although he reveres on Mrs. Clinton as a successful tough decision maker and praised her strong stance regarding foreign policies, he concludes, in an implicit tone of reproach, that she will still have to explain herself for standing by her husband during the Whitewater controversy and his infidelity. In other words, if she wants to be a leader, she will have to confront those questions. Hirsh’s tone indicates a clear gender bias. Although he reveres Clinton's accomplishments, he references issues that stigmatize her personal and political integrity.
The following video  reveals how the media often regards female politicians and promotes skepticism towards their  competency. Lisa Kudrow plays a role of a congress woman who just entered the presidential election and her campaign proceedings were portrayed by the media as a "real life Cinderella story". (my favorite part was how  the image of a congress women who served seven years  in the US Army was represented by the image of  an iced tea pitcher on the table-and the sexist remarks that might imply).
 Lisa Kudrow, in her epic speech, states "It is not about experience, it is about gender!".

 

As Butler points out, gender is not something that we have, it is something that is produced and manufactured by our daily individual behavior. Gender is constructed according to the cultural and political ideologies maintained. While eliminating gender bias is a hefty task, gender performance will bring us perspective in the way society should escape the confines of the masculinity and femininity binary.  In the twenty first century, gender bias still acts as fierce as it has always been; it is even more subtle that it makes it difficult for us  to detect or even acknowledge its existence.

Faten Hafez