I rarely describe myself in a negative but in Bangkok, I cannot help but be on the defensive when it comes to dating Westerners.
Being Asian in an Asian country with a booming sex industry, Western gay men already expect a lot of things from me. They think that they have to pay for everything when they are with me. They think I need for them to pay my drink, my cab fare and my company.
More often than not, I am earning as much money as they are. Besides, my apartment is in the same area as the gay area where some of them cannot even afford to live in.
Western men think that I do not speak English and I am stupid. I know what alliteration and assonance are and I know the capital and a fairly good amount of American and European history. And on the other hand, they are not even sure how to spell the word that pertains to people from my country. Is it with a "ph" or with a double "L"?
In Western cities, I can approach any guy (Caucasian, Asian, Indian) I fancy and I would be received politely. But when I try talking to a Western guy here, he would whisper a question to the next Westerner "Is he a prostitute?" Or he would exclaim infront of me "Oh, you speak English!"
I believe this is not about myself. I think this is about how Westerners perceive Asians here. They think that we are needy, insecure and asinine. And when they find someone who does not fit that mold, they do not know what to make of him.
I really cannot wait to live in a city where the playing field is equal.
Being Asian in an Asian country with a booming sex industry, Western gay men already expect a lot of things from me. They think that they have to pay for everything when they are with me. They think I need for them to pay my drink, my cab fare and my company.
More often than not, I am earning as much money as they are. Besides, my apartment is in the same area as the gay area where some of them cannot even afford to live in.
Western men think that I do not speak English and I am stupid. I know what alliteration and assonance are and I know the capital and a fairly good amount of American and European history. And on the other hand, they are not even sure how to spell the word that pertains to people from my country. Is it with a "ph" or with a double "L"?
In Western cities, I can approach any guy (Caucasian, Asian, Indian) I fancy and I would be received politely. But when I try talking to a Western guy here, he would whisper a question to the next Westerner "Is he a prostitute?" Or he would exclaim infront of me "Oh, you speak English!"
I believe this is not about myself. I think this is about how Westerners perceive Asians here. They think that we are needy, insecure and asinine. And when they find someone who does not fit that mold, they do not know what to make of him.
I really cannot wait to live in a city where the playing field is equal.
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