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Help Us Keep It That Way. See More      (/section/huffpost-personal) HuffPost Personal  (https://www.huffpost.com/topic/dating) Dating (https://www.huffpost.com/topic/colonization) colonization   Decolonizing My Love Life: What I Learned When I Stopped Dating White Men  \"My 'type' wasn\u2019t just a preference: It was an algorithm shaped by media and colonial history.\" (https://www.huffpost.com/author/melinda-li)   (Melinda Li)     By (https://www.huffpost.com/author/melinda-li) Melinda Li   Guest Writer     Mar 17, 2025, 08:16 AM EDT         (https://facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fasian-woman-stopped-dating-white-men_n_67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%3Futm_campaign%3Dshare_facebook%26ncid%3Dengmodushpmg00000003)     (mailto:?subject=I%20Used%20To%20Only%20Date%20White%20Men.%20When%20My%20Ex%20Cheated%20With%20Another%20Asian%20Woman%2C%20I%20Had%20A%20Stunning%20Realization.&body=Article%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fasian-woman-stopped-dating-white-men_n_67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%3Futm_campaign%3Dshare_email%26ncid%3Dother_email_o63gt2jcad4)      248 COMMENTS              (https://facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fasian-woman-stopped-dating-white-men_n_67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%3Futm_campaign%3Dshare_facebook%26ncid%3Dengmodushpmg00000003)     (mailto:?subject=I%20Used%20To%20Only%20Date%20White%20Men.%20When%20My%20Ex%20Cheated%20With%20Another%20Asian%20Woman%2C%20I%20Had%20A%20Stunning%20Realization.&body=Article%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fasian-woman-stopped-dating-white-men_n_67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%3Futm_campaign%3Dshare_email%26ncid%3Dother_email_o63gt2jcad4)                    (The author)    The author Photo Courtesy Of Melinda Li     I received my first lesson in desirability politics via an unexpected text. A white boy from my high school, who wouldn\u2019t make eye contact in the hallways but somehow found my number, sent me a message one night:  \u201cIs it true what they say about Asian pussies?\u201d  he wrote, followed by a string of winking emojis.   I was 14. I didn\u2019t understand, so I Googled it. And then I understood too much.   That night, something lodged itself deep in my subconscious. At the time, I didn\u2019t have the language for it, but I felt the weight. To be seen was to be exoticized. To be desired was to be othered. My body wasn\u2019t just mine; it carried assumptions, stereotypes and histories I hadn\u2019t agreed to. It was my first realization that attraction isn\u2019t just neutral \u2014 it\u2019s racialized.   Advertisement     Growing up as an East Asian girl in a predominantly white town felt like inheriting an unspoken rulebook on desirability. First, it was a slow accumulation of images, cues and social reinforcement. In school, girls debated who was the hottest: Zac Efron, Ian Somerhalder or Chace Crawford. Seventeen Magazine\u2019s \u201cHot Guys of the Summer\u201d lists were exclusively white. I saw how the most popular girls gained social currency when the most popular boys flirted with them.   I wanted that. Not necessarily them, but what they represented: acceptance, validation, proof that I could belong. I convinced myself of multiple lies: that I simply got along better with white boys, that I just happened to be more attracted to them, that holding hands with someone white would make my \u201cOtherness\u201d disappear.      Advertisement   (https://www.outbrain.com/what-is/default/en)                          And so, my dating life became a rotation of white men who, in retrospect, viewed me as something between a conquest and a curiosity. There was the white finance executive who proudly told me I was his  \u201cfirst Asian.\u201d  The Polish fitness guru who needed to call me his  \u201cChinese bitch\u201d  to finish. The doughy-faced man at the club who whispered in my ear, \u201c I wish you were off-the-boat Asian, so you wouldn\u2019t know how to speak English  .\u201d Then, there was my white ex, who cheated on me with another East Asian girl \u2015 then updated his bio to  \u201cStop Asian Hate.\u201d     If you\u2019ve looked into interracial dating patterns, you already know the statistics: Asian American women prefer dating white men over men of any other race, including their own. But what motivates these preferences is more tragic than romantic. Studies show AAPI women  (https://go.skimresources.com/?id=38395X987171&xs=1&xcust=67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%7Cxid:fr1742880279874hge&url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs11199-024-01450-9) often seek white partners  for economic security, assimilation and social mobility \u2014 even when those partners fetishize them. Simply put, we are conditioned to put up with a lot.   Chasing white validation made my own identity and heritage feel insufficient. I taught myself to minimize anything  too Asian   \u2014 avoiding speaking Chinese in public, tossing my mother\u2019s homemade Chinese lunches, hesitating to order chicken feet at dim sum.   But if I had been conditioned to see white boys as the ultimate prize, then what did that mean for the boys who looked like me? I wish I could say I was immune to the stereotypes about Asian masculinity, but I wasn\u2019t. The messaging was relentless: Asian men were nerdy, awkward \u201cnice guys,\u201d but never the ones who got the girl.    Advertisement     In middle school, through the gossip grapevine, I learned an Asian friend had a crush on me. I dismissed it immediately. Not because he wasn\u2019t attractive \u2014 I just hadn\u2019t considered him. I had already absorbed the idea that dating a white boy would elevate me socially. That was the priority.    And then there were Asian women. I wasn\u2019t just dating white men \u2014 I was competing with other AAPI women for their attention. I saw them not as friends, but as threats (albeit unbeknownst to them). To comfort myself, I crafted a fragile self-affirming mythology:  I\u2019m different from the other Asian girls. I have layers. I have individuality.  If a white boy had to choose from a lineup, I convinced myself I\u2019d stand out.    My mind clung to reminders of my uniqueness:  I like film and the arts. I lift weights. I play competitive chess.  But the more I repeated it, the hollower it became.  What if I\u2019m not as different as I think?  Then the fear twisted into something even uglier:  What if they are more unique than me? What if I am the forgettable one?    Advertisement     Instead of seeking solace among other AAPI women, I retreated into a self-imposed exile, ashamed of my own scarcity mindset.  Where was my feminism? Where was my solidarity?   These thoughts festered in the shadows of my mind: the shame, the fear, the humiliation of knowing I had been complicit in my own erasure.   It took another Asian woman to show me what I had been too ashamed to see. She was petite with a straight-layered haircut, a few years younger than me. She lived on the other side of the country, and I had never met her before. She was also the woman my white ex-boyfriend had been cheating on me with.     (Flowers from the author's ex that she threw away after learning of his cheating.)    Flowers from the author's ex that she threw away after learning of his cheating. Photo Courtesy Of Melinda Li     Advertisement     She found me on Instagram and messaged me:  Are you guys dating? I\u2019m so sorry, I had no idea.  She was honest and forthcoming, sharing screenshots of their messages. There was no defensiveness, no misplaced jealousy, just the quiet understanding of someone who knew what it felt like to be reduced to a \u201cpreference.\u201d In a way, she was protecting me. I dumped him that same day. She did, too.    It was in that moment I realized she wasn\u2019t my enemy. She was me. And yet, I had spent years seeing women like her as competition instead of my allies.   Thus began my quest to decolonize my desire. I followed a framework from the \u201c Invisibilia\u201d podcast, where an East Asian woman decided to (http://www.npr.org/transcripts/709948132?storyId=709948132%3FstoryId) stop dating white men  :   Advertisement     Bombard your brain with images of hot men of color.  Be suspicious of white men.  Is he actually hot or does he just take regular showers and wear cool glasses?   Swipe left on white men.    This wasn\u2019t about punishing white men. It wasn\u2019t even about never dating them again; it was about interrogating why they had always been the default in the first place. I had dated two men of color before, but I had never fully reckoned with how much whiteness had dominated my desires. I sought to reject the system that conditions attraction in harmful ways and liberate myself from a societal hierarchy that had never served me.   Just days after that pivotal breakup, I re-downloaded the dating apps. At first, my thumb hovered over white faces. The old reflex kicked in. Then I caught myself \u2014  was it a good jawline, or just \u2026 bone structure and basic hygiene?     Advertisement     Attraction isn\u2019t just personal \u2014 it\u2019s programmed. Studies show that repeated exposure to certain beauty standards (https://doi.org/10.1037/h0025848) literally rewires our brains to associate desirability with what\u2019s most familiar.  My \u201ctype\u201d wasn\u2019t just a preference: It was an algorithm shaped by media and colonial history. If my brain could be trained to prioritize whiteness, it could be (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/014616727700300219) retrained to desire something else .   But desire also isn\u2019t just about attraction. It\u2019s about recognition. No matter how close I got to whiteness, I was still Othered, operating on borrowed terms. What I truly craved was the ease that comes from being understood without explanation. There\u2019s an unspoken recognition forged through the shared struggles of people of color: the pressures of assimilation, the need to navigate multiple worlds, the tension between honoring our heritage and surviving in a world that wasn\u2019t built for us.   Eventually, I met my long-term partner, who is South Asian and the son of Pakistani immigrants. With him, I no longer feel the pressure to shrink, dilute or translate my culture to make it more palatable. There\u2019s no need for exhaustive explanations \u2014 why my relationship with my parents is fraught, why they insist he sleep in the guest room when visiting, why I instinctively modulate my behavior around them.   Advertisement     The relief reveals itself in the smallest moments: the ease with which I now order chicken feet, without hesitation (he loves chicken feet, too). The simple pleasures of cooking with scallions and gochujang and lotus root without having him ask, \u201c What is this  ?\u201d The way that he seamlessly fits into conversations with my AAPI friends without missing a step. And perhaps most comforting of all, the assurance that I can leave him with my parents and trust that he will meet them where they are \u2014 with curiosity, warmth, humor and not a flicker of discomfort at my mother\u2019s broken English. With him, my reality is simply understood.    We Don't Work For Billionaires. We Work For You. Big money interests are running the government \u2014 and influencing the news you read. While other outlets are retreating behind paywalls and bending the knee to political pressure, HuffPost is proud to be unbought and unfiltered. (https://www.huffpost.com/support) Will you help us keep it that way? You can even access our stories ad-free.  You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest \u2014 we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, (https://www.huffpost.com/support) we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.  You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest \u2014 we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, (https://www.huffpost.com/support) we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.   (https://www.huffpost.com/support) Support HuffPost Already contributed? (https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fasian-woman-stopped-dating-white-men_n_67d44392e4b0c55eb8c10cff%3Fd_id%3D8850493%26hp_auth_done%3D1) Log in to hide these messages.     Perhaps most healing of all, I have redefined my relationship with other AAPI women. Before, I saw them as competitors in a scarcity game built by white supremacy. Once I let go of  needing to be \u201cdifferent\u201d from other Asian girls for the sake of appealing to white men, I found so much joy in sharing spaces with them. We have dumpling-making parties on Lunar New Year. We go to hot pot and joke about how our lives would be different if we grew up with loving parents. We protect each other. We watched \u201d Parasite\u201d  win Best Picture and have a group chat called \u201cBong Joon Hoes.\u201d    Decolonizing my love life wasn\u2019t just about avoiding fetishization. It was about reclaiming my narrative and untangling years of internalized messaging that told me my worth was tied to my proximity to whiteness. White men were never the dream \u2015 they were just the default, the easiest illusion to chase.   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                    "I received my first lesson in desirability politics via an unexpected text. A white boy from my high school, who wouldn\u2019t make eye contact in the hallways but somehow found my number, sent me a message one night: \u201cIs it true what they say about Asian pussies?\u201d he wrote, followed by a string of winking emojis.I was 14. I didn\u2019t understand, so I Googled it. And then I understood too much.That night, something lodged itself deep in my subconscious. At the time, I didn\u2019t have the language for it, but I felt the weight. To be seen was to be exoticized. To be desired was to be othered. My body wasn\u2019t just mine; it carried assumptions, stereotypes and histories I hadn\u2019t agreed to. It was my first realization that attraction isn\u2019t just neutral \u2014 it\u2019s racialized.Growing up as an East Asian girl in a predominantly white town felt like inheriting an unspoken rulebook on desirability. First, it was a slow accumulation of images, cues and social reinforcement. In school, girls debated who was the hottest: Zac Efron, Ian Somerhalder or Chace Crawford. Seventeen Magazine\u2019s \u201cHot Guys of the Summer\u201d lists were exclusively white. I saw how the most popular girls gained social currency when the most popular boys flirted with them.I wanted that. Not necessarily them, but what they represented: acceptance, validation, proof that I could belong. I convinced myself of multiple lies: that I simply got along better with white boys, that I just happened to be more attracted to them, that holding hands with someone white would make my \u201cOtherness\u201d disappear. And so, my dating life became a rotation of white men who, in retrospect, viewed me as something between a conquest and a curiosity. There was the white finance executive who proudly told me I was his \u201cfirst Asian.\u201d The Polish fitness guru who needed to call me his \u201cChinese bitch\u201d to finish. The doughy-faced man at the club who whispered in my ear, \u201cI wish you were off-the-boat Asian, so you wouldn\u2019t know how to speak English.\u201d Then, there was my white ex, who cheated on me with another East Asian girl \u2015 then updated his bio to \u201cStop Asian Hate.\u201d If you\u2019ve looked into interracial dating patterns, you already know the statistics: Asian American women prefer dating white men over men of any other race, including their own. But what motivates these preferences is more tragic than romantic. Studies show AAPI women often seek white partners for economic security, assimilation and social mobility \u2014 even when those partners fetishize them. Simply put, we are conditioned to put up with a lot.Chasing white validation made my own identity and heritage feel insufficient. I taught myself to minimize anything too Asian \u2014 avoiding speaking Chinese in public, tossing my mother\u2019s homemade Chinese lunches, hesitating to order chicken feet at dim sum.But if I had been conditioned to see white boys as the ultimate prize, then what did that mean for the boys who looked like me? I wish I could say I was immune to the stereotypes about Asian masculinity, but I wasn\u2019t. The messaging was relentless: Asian men were nerdy, awkward \u201cnice guys,\u201d but never the ones who got the girl. In middle school, through the gossip grapevine, I learned an Asian friend had a crush on me. I dismissed it immediately. Not because he wasn\u2019t attractive \u2014 I just hadn\u2019t considered him. I had already absorbed the idea that dating a white boy would elevate me socially. That was the priority.And then there were Asian women. I wasn\u2019t just dating white men \u2014 I was competing with other AAPI women for their attention. I saw them not as friends, but as threats (albeit unbeknownst to them). To comfort myself, I crafted a fragile self-affirming mythology: I\u2019m different from the other Asian girls. I have layers. I have individuality. If a white boy had to choose from a lineup, I convinced myself I\u2019d stand out. My mind clung to reminders of my uniqueness: I like film and the arts. I lift weights. I play competitive chess. But the more I repeated it, the hollower it became. What if I\u2019m not as different as I think? Then the fear twisted into something even uglier: What if they are more unique than me? What if I am the forgettable one?Instead of seeking solace among other AAPI women, I retreated into a self-imposed exile, ashamed of my own scarcity mindset. Where was my feminism? Where was my solidarity? These thoughts festered in the shadows of my mind: the shame, the fear, the humiliation of knowing I had been complicit in my own erasure.It took another Asian woman to show me what I had been too ashamed to see. She was petite with a straight-layered haircut, a few years younger than me. She lived on the other side of the country, and I had never met her before. She was also the woman my white ex-boyfriend had been cheating on me with.Flowers from the author's ex that she threw away after learning of his cheating.Photo Courtesy Of Melinda LiShe found me on Instagram and messaged me: Are you guys dating? I\u2019m so sorry, I had no idea. She was honest and forthcoming, sharing screenshots of their messages. There was no defensiveness, no misplaced jealousy, just the quiet understanding of someone who knew what it felt like to be reduced to a \u201cpreference.\u201d In a way, she was protecting me. I dumped him that same day. She did, too. It was in that moment I realized she wasn\u2019t my enemy. She was me. And yet, I had spent years seeing women like her as competition instead of my allies.Thus began my quest to decolonize my desire. I followed a framework from the \u201cInvisibilia\u201d podcast, where an East Asian woman decided to stop dating white men:Bombard your brain with images of hot men of color.Be suspicious of white men. Is he actually hot or does he just take regular showers and wear cool glasses?Swipe left on white men.This wasn\u2019t about punishing white men. It wasn\u2019t even about never dating them again; it was about interrogating why they had always been the default in the first place. I had dated two men of color before, but I had never fully reckoned with how much whiteness had dominated my desires. I sought to reject the system that conditions attraction in harmful ways and liberate myself from a societal hierarchy that had never served me.Just days after that pivotal breakup, I re-downloaded the dating apps. At first, my thumb hovered over white faces. The old reflex kicked in. Then I caught myself \u2014 was it a good jawline, or just \u2026 bone structure and basic hygiene? Attraction isn\u2019t just personal \u2014 it\u2019s programmed. Studies show that repeated exposure to certain beauty standards literally rewires our brains to associate desirability with what\u2019s most familiar. My \u201ctype\u201d wasn\u2019t just a preference: It was an algorithm shaped by media and colonial history. If my brain could be trained to prioritize whiteness, it could be retrained to desire something else.But desire also isn\u2019t just about attraction. It\u2019s about recognition. No matter how close I got to whiteness, I was still Othered, operating on borrowed terms. What I truly craved was the ease that comes from being understood without explanation. There\u2019s an unspoken recognition forged through the shared struggles of people of color: the pressures of assimilation, the need to navigate multiple worlds, the tension between honoring our heritage and surviving in a world that wasn\u2019t built for us.Eventually, I met my long-term partner, who is South Asian and the son of Pakistani immigrants. With him, I no longer feel the pressure to shrink, dilute or translate my culture to make it more palatable. There\u2019s no need for exhaustive explanations \u2014 why my relationship with my parents is fraught, why they insist he sleep in the guest room when visiting, why I instinctively modulate my behavior around them.The relief reveals itself in the smallest moments: the ease with which I now order chicken feet, without hesitation (he loves chicken feet, too). The simple pleasures of cooking with scallions and gochujang and lotus root without having him ask, \u201cWhat is this?\u201d The way that he seamlessly fits into conversations with my AAPI friends without missing a step. And perhaps most comforting of all, the assurance that I can leave him with my parents and trust that he will meet them where they are \u2014 with curiosity, warmth, humor and not a flicker of discomfort at my mother\u2019s broken English. With him, my reality is simply understood. We Don't Work For Billionaires. We Work For You.Big money interests are running the government \u2014 and influencing the news you read. While other outlets are retreating behind paywalls and bending the knee to political pressure, HuffPost is proud to be unbought and unfiltered. Will you help us keep it that way? You can even access our stories ad-free.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest \u2014 we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest \u2014 we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you.For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.Perhaps most healing of all, I have redefined my relationship with other AAPI women. Before, I saw them as competitors in a scarcity game built by white supremacy. Once I let go of needing to be \u201cdifferent\u201d from other Asian girls for the sake of appealing to white men, I found so much joy in sharing spaces with them. We have dumpling-making parties on Lunar New Year. We go to hot pot and joke about how our lives would be different if we grew up with loving parents. We protect each other. We watched \u201dParasite\u201d win Best Picture and have a group chat called \u201cBong Joon Hoes.\u201d Decolonizing my love life wasn\u2019t just about avoiding fetishization. It was about reclaiming my narrative and untangling years of internalized messaging that told me my worth was tied to my proximity to whiteness. White men were never the dream \u2015 they were just the default, the easiest illusion to chase.Do you have a compelling personal story you\u2019d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we\u2019re looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com."
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