Sean Hebert was an independent copywriter and stand-up comedian just who spent 36 months working as a comedian in Asia. He’s today situated in Toronto.

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As a white child growing right up in a mostly Chinese area of Toronto, we invested a lot of my times thinking about Asian ladies.

They seated close to myself in lessons, ate in our school’s cafeteria, and ran around the yard during recess, thus my personal interest—especially as a slutty, pubescent boy—wasn’t cause of concern.

I very first heard about “yellow fever” during primary class after a couple of men pointed out it. In the past, the phrase was actually shorthand for someone white who had a crush on some body Asian, as well as our very own college, it placed on girls everything it performed the kids.

Used to don’t think a great deal when it comes to yellow fever during the time, however, because my personal 12-year-old head was a veritable encyclopedia of crude lingo. If you ask me, it had been just another type of teasing that we tossed into my big trashcan of disregarded terms, lying dormant all these years—until today.

After spending half my twenties residing and dealing in Hong Kong and southern area Korea, I returned to united states latest summer time, at 30, with a credibility as a light Guy whom Dates Asian babes. Family include again teasing me for having “yellow fever,” so when far as facts are concerned, I can’t dispute with the designation: My personal recent companion try Chinese-American, while my personal most recent ex-girlfriend try Vietnamese-Canadian.

. to my ears, I’m getting labeled as a deviant. A sexual objectifier.

Nevertheless still bugs me personally.

I’m able to disregard their unique playful ribbing the same way I terminated most name-calling during primary school—after all, there’s nothing wrong with internet dating females of Asian descent—but “yellow fever” is not a harmless, unused label. To some, the subtext was seriously energized. (more…)