A White Boyfriend’s Guide to Respectfully Observe AAPIH Month

“Please stop over sharing your knowledge of hot pot and Deathnote” 

May 3rd, 2022

By: John Hedrick

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! As we know, the month of May is spent celebrating the achievements and strides made by the Asian and Pacific American community. Of course, as Asian and Pacific Americans, we celebrate in any way possible but what about allies to the community? Especially the allies we’re dating? Good thing we have the answer for you! Here is a white boyfriend’s guide to respectfully observe AAPIH Month:

*DISCLAIMER: white men love dating AAPI women at alarmingly higher rates than white women and we “don’t know why”*

Step 1: Take off your fucking shoes ASAP

• This one is pretty straight forward. If you’ve been dating for longer than 2 weeks, this should be drilled into your muscle memory. However, if you show some initiative when visiting her parents, and you put on their designated guest slippers after taking off your shoes without being told to, you’ll get some extra brownie points. Congrats!

Step 2: No more Anime (at least for the month of May)

• We all know every white boyfriend dating an AAPI woman has some affinity to anime (we’re willing to bet money on this). Regardless of how small or large your obsession is, you must repent for this month. Don’t be that guy who loves anime and is dating an AAPI woman. This includes Hentai.

Step 3: Shut up and eat the tripe

• Be a man. Eat the cow stomach. The texture isn’t weird. You grew up on applesauce and frozen chicken nuggets, you can handle some delicious cow stomach at dinner. Chew. Chew. Swallow. It’s delicious! The only other acceptable alternatives are cow tongue, duck heart, and duck liver. No discussion. 

Step 4: Do NOT try to speak her family’s native language 

• Wouldn’t you hate it if someone explained the plot of One Piece but they’d only watched part of the first season? Well that’s what you look like trying to say “Happy New Year” in Mandarin. Best to save the humiliation and say thanks in English! 

Step 5: Watch Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

• This is the LEAST you could do. Support an AAPI lead cast while ALSO learning that AAPI can universe jump. It’s a documentary, not a movie so shut up and listen! 

We hope this helps. Just remember that May goes by quickly and it’s disrespectful to not complete all 5 steps to our guide. Stay tuned for next month’s guide “White Boyfriend’s Guide To Asian Pride Month.”