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As I got older, I realised that people saw me as other…

“As I got older, I realised that people saw me as other things - sometimes Korean, sometimes Japanese, sometimes just Asian. When my family moved to a more affluent white neighbourhood, I started to see myself as 'other', this amorphous category. I didn't even know what 'not other' was, but I knew…” quote by Jenny Zhang
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“As I got older, I realised that people saw me as other things - sometimes Korean, sometimes Japanese, sometimes just Asian. When my family moved to a more affluent white neighbourhood, I started to see myself as 'other', this amorphous category. I didn't even know what 'not other' was, but I knew I wasn't it; I wasn't what was normal.”

Jenny Zhang

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Identity can feel fragmented when external labels shift, leading to a sense of being perpetually “other.”

In simple terms: Labels shape self‑view.

Key Takeaway

Seek self‑definition beyond labels.

Themes

identity otherness culture

Mood

introspective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • immigration
  • school integration
  • workplace diversity

Key Concepts

sociology psychology intersectionality

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you define yourself beyond others’ views?
  • What steps foster authentic identity?
A Different Perspective

Self‑definition can be limiting.

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