I always assumed that my otherness was a curse - that I would be held back by my Asian and queer identities.
Interpretation
The speaker initially viewed their unique identity as a limitation but later reflects on its significance.
Eugene Lee Yang expresses how his identities as an Asian and queer individual were initially perceived as obstacles in his life. Through this quote, he reveals a transformation in his perspective, recognizing that what he once saw as a curse can instead be a source of strength and authenticity. This highlights the importance of embracing one's uniqueness, rather than viewing it as a hindrance.
In practice
In a speech about diversity and inclusion, one might quote this to highlight the value of unique identities.
I'm an actor. Since I was a teenager, I have had to play different characters, negotiating the cultural expectations of a Pakistani family, Brit-Asian rudeboy culture, and a scholarship to private school. The fluidity of my own personal identity on any given day was further compounded by the changing labels assigned to Asians in general.
I have my own identity ... The whole Michael thing does drive me nuts sometimes because people won't leave it alone. He's bald, I have hair. He's almost 40, I'm 22. Seriously though, I wish people would let it be and let me just be Kobe.
The mark of a Scot of all classes [is that] he ... remembers and cherishes the memory of his forebears, good or bad; and there burns alive in him a sense of identity with the dead even to the twentieth generation.
I knew that I was trans when I was three years old. Well, I didn't know 'trans' because I didn't know there was a word for it, but I just knew that in my head and my heart that I was supposed to be a girl.
I'm Colombian and nothing will change that.
I must identify myself with Africa. Then I will have an identity.
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