“What Type of Asian Are You?” – Exploring the Asian American Experience Through a Deconstruction of Stereotypes in Type A

Abstract

In creating my one-man show in which I explore Asian American identity through a series of deconstructed stereotypes, I use this critical essay to contextualize my work through these analytical frames: Asian American history and history of Asian American theater; biomythography; intergenerational trauma in Asian American families; and heterosexism in Asian American culture. As I explore all these frames of analysis, I hope to grapple with a central question relating to the concept of intersectionality: How does one deal with the pain and struggle of identity, especially when multiple identities intersect, and how do you find ways to be empowered by these identities?