Author under fire for using asian pen name!

Paul Whybrow

Dead authors as brands

  • Paul Whybrow
  • Replies: 9
L

The Hard Conversation

  • Litopian
  • Replies: 19
Status
Not open for further replies.
I actually heard about this last week on NPR (that's America's national public radio channel). NPR had a guest commentator, someone who taught some sort of workshop for writers of Asian descent. And man, he was INCENSED. What really struck me about it, though, is that he said something along the lines of that this guy, who "being white," was "normal," just wanted to "try on abnormality."

I see what he's saying, abstractly--but I have never in my life thought that just because I'm white, I'm automatically "normal." Nor have I ever thought that someone else, not being white, is somehow "abnormal." And I wondered who on Earth was giving the poor guy the idea that by not being white, he was "abnormal."

But then, I've never been looked askance at for my descent (I'm a mutt and don't even know what I am other than white). So it's probably easy for me to wonder why he feels he's considered abnormal.

I have, however, been discriminated against my whole life because I'm actually disabled. And I will not lie: I have prayed to God many times to be made normal, "like everybody else."

What actually mostly concerned me about the whole thing was that the first name of the pen name I just chose for myself a month and a half ago, and under which I sent out four stories, is actually Japanese. Why? Because I thought it was pretty. The last name is Anglo, though. But the last thing I'd want is to be lumped with "people who try on abnormality," according to that NPR commentator.

Believe me, I don't have to "try on" abnormality. I've been considered abnormal my whole life!
 
Meerkat said:
I actually heard about this last week on NPR (that's America's national public radio channel). NPR had a guest commentator, someone who taught some sort of workshop for writers of Asian descent. And man, he was INCENSED. What really struck me about it, though, is that he said something along the lines of that this guy, who "being white," was "normal," just wanted to "try on abnormality."

I see what he's saying, abstractly--but I have never in my life thought that just because I'm white, I'm automatically "normal." Nor have I ever thought that someone else, not being white, is somehow "abnormal." And I wondered who on Earth was giving the poor guy the idea that by not being white, he was "abnormal."

But then, I've never been looked askance at for my descent (I'm a mutt and don't even know what I am other than white). So it's probably easy for me to wonder why he feels he's considered abnormal.

I have, however, been discriminated against my whole life because I'm actually disabled. And I will not lie: I have prayed to God many times to be made normal, "like everybody else."

What actually mostly concerned me about the whole thing was that the first name of the pen name I just chose for myself a month and a half ago, and under which I sent out four stories, is actually Japanese. Why? Because I thought it was pretty. The last name is Anglo, though. But the last thing I'd want is to be lumped with "people who try on abnormality," according to that NPR commentator.

Believe me, I don't have to "try on" abnormality. I've been considered abnormal my whole life!
Click to expand...

And I thought only writers were abnormal. I've been looked at askance, I've been discriminated against, and have heard plenty of racial slurs, but all that is politically incorrect. I have been considered abnormal all my life as well. I still don't see what the big deal is about an Asian name, though. From the article, I came away with it being more of an indictment of the publishing industry, but then I'm naive.
 
@Meerkat you've hit it on the head actually and struck a chord with me. The number of times I've had interviews, meetings with people with them thinking I'm a 'normal' person only to see someone who looks unexpected to them I have actually lost count. One client meeting in a coffee shop had him asking every single woman there if they were 'Mrs Munro' ignoring the one lady with the work out on the table - the clues were on the table. I had no idea who he was either at first until I heard him ask several ladies and completely ignored my existence to move on to the next lady as I tried to get his attention. Another guy's face dropped as he travelled all the way from the Midlands to meet me and I saw his demeanour literally shocked and disappointed. Both are now my long term contacts and have been so helpful after the barrier was crossed. I think this is unconscious bias in action.

Like everyone else, I don't like being compartmentalised, I don't want to talk about the middle east all the time and I don't see the headscarf - you do :D. So as far as I'm concerned we're all Even Stevens...or whatever name you want to use. ;)

Different is the new normal.
 
We're all mutts, I suppose, if we dig deep enough, some more conspicuously, or we might say, dramatically, piquantly or glamorously than others. Says this Brit mutt, half Irish, quarter English, quarter Scots, and the Celts came from the Indus anyway. I've been asked if I was a) Spanish b) Italian c) Pakistani. The ways we choose to live, that's our tribe.
 
"Even-stevens", I haven't heard that in years! But gee Ems, how sad the human race is, some peoples attitude really needs lifting... :confused:
 
People meeting me are currently liable to encounter me sitting in a w'chair. Most people don't blink; you could sprain your ankle and have to sit in one, couldn't you? Very occasionally, one meets someone who tries to treat you as a non-person, talking over your head to whoever else is with you in a way that just does not happen, the times you're just leaning on a stick. Folk, eh.

ADD: in a scheduled meeting, as when reading for a new client for instance, I drop a light hint so as to not to take them by surprise.
 
Last edited:
Nicole Wilson said:
Red hair here. And not hideable red hair. As bright aa it gets. Like you, @Emurelda, I forget it's there. Until I meet someone that won't stop staring at it lol. Doesn't bother me much; I just like to see their reactions and use it as writing fodder. :)
Click to expand...
I'll bet you also often deal with people saying "oh is that real?" And I'll also bet MontanaMan never gets that. There's another prejudice for you.

Meerkat said:
I actually heard about this last week on NPR (that's America's national public radio channel). NPR had a guest commentator, someone who taught some sort of workshop for writers of Asian descent. And man, he was INCENSED. What really struck me about it, though, is that he said something along the lines of that this guy, who "being white," was "normal," just wanted to "try on abnormality."

I see what he's saying, abstractly--but I have never in my life thought that just because I'm white, I'm automatically "normal." Nor have I ever thought that someone else, not being white, is somehow "abnormal." And I wondered who on Earth was giving the poor guy the idea that by not being white, he was "abnormal."

But then, I've never been looked askance at for my descent (I'm a mutt and don't even know what I am other than white). So it's probably easy for me to wonder why he feels he's considered abnormal.

I have, however, been discriminated against my whole life because I'm actually disabled. And I will not lie: I have prayed to God many times to be made normal, "like everybody else."

What actually mostly concerned me about the whole thing was that the first name of the pen name I just chose for myself a month and a half ago, and under which I sent out four stories, is actually Japanese. Why? Because I thought it was pretty. The last name is Anglo, though. But the last thing I'd want is to be lumped with "people who try on abnormality," according to that NPR commentator.

Believe me, I don't have to "try on" abnormality. I've been considered abnormal my whole life!
Click to expand...
And I'll tell you what, be a white guy around here in DC, Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg... and see how "normal" you feel. You get the distinct feeling that you've stumbled into a restricted area in some foreign country where everyone wants to tell you to get the hell out, but lets you wander through because you're an idiot cracker/gringo.
 
MontanaMan65 said:
You're right, I don't. Getting asked if your hair color is real seems to be reserved for "hot looking females". You know, the ones that seem unattainable...like gingers.

http://elevatedtoday.com/2015/03/02...turns-out-they-might-be-genetically-superior/
Click to expand...
Ah yes, the red-head. Or bánfaith, as they are also called. You know — a witch.
barney.png

Looking at you Nic.
 
Haha "cuz that's a fact."

Aw dude, that's cold!

Fear not gentle gingers (inadvertent alliteration for the win) — I know you have a soul.
 
I wasn't looking for sympathy. I quit being a victim long ago. The point I was trying to make is that something so innocuous as hair color is joked about without everyone slapping down the one doing it. If you're any other color than white, you get slammed hard by everyone, but what about those of us that are "glow in the dark" white?
 
MontanaMan65 said:
I wasn't looking for sympathy. I quit being a victim long ago. The point I was trying to make is that something so innocuous as hair color is joked about without everyone slapping down the one doing it. If you're any other color than white, you get slammed hard by everyone, but what about those of us that are "glow in the dark" white?
Click to expand...
Then you're unusually normal. Wrap your mind around that one.
 
Jason Byrne said:
I'll bet you also often deal with people saying "oh is that real?" And I'll also bet MontanaMan never gets that. There's another prejudice for you.


And I'll tell you what, be a white guy around here in DC, Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg... and see how "normal" you feel. You get the distinct feeling that you've stumbled into a restricted area in some foreign country where everyone wants to tell you to get the hell out, but lets you wander through because you're an idiot cracker/gringo.
Click to expand...
ALL. THE. TIME.
And I frequently get the "can I touch your hair?" Like really? I'm not 5 anymore lol. Best part, when people ask but touch it before they've finished the question. Happens all the time.

And, thanks, but I've been called worse things than "witch" before. ;)
 
MontanaMan65 said:
I wasn't looking for sympathy. I quit being a victim long ago. The point I was trying to make is that something so innocuous as hair color is joked about without everyone slapping down the one doing it. If you're any other color than white, you get slammed hard by everyone, but what about those of us that are "glow in the dark" white?
Click to expand...
OMG yes!! Lol in grade school, people used to press their fingers against my arm to watch it turn white. And we'd have competitions to see who was the palest. For real. The only person to beat me was an albino so I'm not sure that was a fair fight! :D
 
Nicole Wilson said:
ALL. THE. TIME.
And I frequently get the "can I touch your hair?" Like really? I'm not 5 anymore lol. Best part, when people ask but touch it before they've finished the question. Happens all the time.

And, thanks, but I've been called worse things than "witch" before. ;)
Click to expand...
They do that? Weird. I would probably do something like that, but it would just be to do something kooky for effect.
 
Jason Byrne said:
They do that? Weird. I would probably do something like that, but it would just be to do something kooky for effect.
Click to expand...
Yes. People definitely do that. Had that happen about a year ago. Walking out of church and this lady follows me to my car (which I noticed right away bc, you know, paranoid) and then asks me WHILE TOUCHING IT if she can touch my hair. Like, for real, lady?
 
Nicole Wilson said:
Yes. People definitely do that. Had that happen about a year ago. Walking out of church and this lady follows me to my car (which I noticed right away bc, you know, paranoid) and then asks me WHILE TOUCHING IT if she can touch my hair. Like, for real, lady?
Click to expand...
Hahahaha, I can see you frantically throwing glances back at this old lady following you.

Hey, have you ever seen It Follows (2015)?
 
Nicole Wilson said:
OMG yes!! Lol in grade school, people used to press their fingers against my arm to watch it turn white. And we'd have competitions to see who was the palest. For real. The only person to beat me was an albino so I'm not sure that was a fair fight! :D
Click to expand...

As a kid growing up in the midwest, I had to swim with a t-shirt on. The sun would burn me inside of two minutes (very painful, too). I've been told that I look dead, because I'm so pale. I've never had a tan. Just to get some color, I get a slight burn on top of slight burn. @Nicole Wilson can tell you more about blushing...
 
MontanaMan65 said:
As a kid growing up in the midwest, I had to swim with a t-shirt on. The sun would burn me inside of two minutes (very painful, too). I've been told that I look dead, because I'm so pale. I've never had a tan. Just to get some color, I get a slight burn on top of slight burn. @Nicole Wilson can tell you more about blushing...
Click to expand...

My brother's like that. Fair skin and freckles — I have more of a weird olive complexion, and I'm much harder to burn — I used to stay outside all day long in the summer, when I was a kid. Isn't it weird how that happens, within a family?
 
Jason Byrne said:
My brother's like that. Fair skin and freckles — I have more of a weird olive complexion, and I'm much harder to burn — I used to stay outside all day long in the summer, when I was a kid. Isn't it weird how that happens, within a family?
Click to expand...

It's all genetics. From what I've learned, there are red-heads in almost every culture and race. The Ancient Greeks were the weirder ones...
 
MontanaMan65 said:
As a kid growing up in the midwest, I had to swim with a t-shirt on. The sun would burn me inside of two minutes (very painful, too). I've been told that I look dead, because I'm so pale. I've never had a tan. Just to get some color, I get a slight burn on top of slight burn. @Nicole Wilson can tell you more about blushing...
Click to expand...
Oh ho ho can I tell you about blushing. Good grief. My face turns the color of my hair more often than I'd like to admit. But back to the sunburn thing (cuz that's like my life), I have to wear 100 spf sunscreen when I run for anything longer than 40 minutes or I'm in pain for days. If hubby and I go for a picnic, sunscreen. Play volleyball outside, sunscreen. Take an antibiotic that makes me more sensitive to the sun and now I want to walk to the car, sunscreen. Freakin ridiculous.
 
Nicole Wilson said:
Oh ho ho can I tell you about blushing. Good grief. My face turns the color of my hair more often than I'd like to admit. But back to the sunburn thing (cuz that's like my life), I have to wear 100 spf sunscreen when I run for anything longer than 40 minutes or I'm in pain for days. If hubby and I go for a picnic, sunscreen. Play volleyball outside, sunscreen. Take an antibiotic that makes me more sensitive to the sun and now I want to walk to the car, sunscreen. Freakin ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I know when I blush (which is hard to get me to do these days) I look like I just got an instant sunburn. Now, @Nicole Wilson , you know why I live in WA. The sun never shines here! (Yeah, right!). One good thing, I'm 63 and have no gray hair. I do have a few white ones, though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Paul Whybrow

Dead authors as brands

  • Paul Whybrow
  • Replies: 9
L

The Hard Conversation

  • Litopian
  • Replies: 19
Back
Top