#gweilo

I think its 100% fine to use it to call out others in a genuine and derogatory manner because that is the intended use of it - but I find non-AAPI folk normalizing the terms to be kinda detrimental to the very real and problematic topic they are addressing which is the unique type of fetishization wide spread and normalized about AAPI cultures and bodies.

Terms like those (koreaboo, weebo, gwailo, gweilo, etc) are terms used to describe problematic non-AAPI that fetishize and disrespectfully / shallowly approach AAPI cultures and they are terms used as a moderate and short hand vent to how prevalent it is.

For a non-AAPI to use it in a playful light hearted way, its like going "uwu I'm a cultural appropriator" like its something cute or going "uwu you are such a cultural appropriator" - like... its not for you to reclaim or make cute and its always a bit weird and unnerving.

Like I used to not find any issue with it back when I was in denial about being AAPI cause me and my asian circles used it at eachother regularly in a light hearted and I assumed that its just a "normal white thing" until I sat and realized we used it at other asians almost exclusively and like... its kinda honestly I think a way of coping by desensitization to the acknowledgement of how fucking weird people get about AAPI cultures

Like I don't genuinely care enough to start looking at people and say "Horrible racist!" or anything for those that do, but I will say as an AAPI who is realizing that I genuinely grew up primarily in AAPI cliques and reflecting on how dynamics in those cliques worked that like.... I do side eye it when I see non-AAPI people thinking its cute to claim the term weeb / koreaboo / gwailo / gweilo / other "ugh foreigners being disrespectful to our culture" terms.

I laughed so hard I started coughing, and then I coughed until I couldn't breathe.

People. Please. If you are going to use a term from a language you don't speak, please, PLEASE Google it first.

(For readers who might not know, codingpoetry on Twitter snipped this from here: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/2111173/where-word-gweilo-comes-and-other-names-east-asians-have )

‘Gweilo Han Floor’ Light by Partisans Factory for Parachilna

Garrett’s Coke Bottle & M3

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