# Did you know that "banana" was a slur to Asian Americans? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568 "2017-01-19T20:09:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/41 "2017-01-20T07:55:53Z")
nm Yes, San Francisco, early 1980’s ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/42 "2017-01-20T08:34:57Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > What the hell do you have against [raccoons](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22tree+bandit%22+raccoon&biw=853&bih=557&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjB973py8_RAhVL4oMKHXEBA3AQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1.5)?!? Who you calling [Coon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minstrel_show#Zip_Coon)? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/43 "2017-01-20T09:20:00Z")
So, what exactly is “acting white”? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/44 "2017-01-20T12:15:26Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > I’ve heard of it, but since I live in East Asia, that would be expected. Does that make you an egg? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/45 "2017-01-20T12:46:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I had a cat named Gypsy. (She was named after a character on _MST3K_) I know a woman whose given name is Gypsy. I’d find it more than a bit presumptuous for a systems administrator or whoever to censor my username, especially if the part they considered offensive was my actual name. Not saying that’s what happened in **gigi’s** case; I guess I’m still getting used to gypsy being a slur. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/46 "2017-01-20T13:13:25Z")
The only term I’ve ever heard it was from a coworker that was a Chinese national (but I believe a US permanent resident) and said it about her two American-born children. She actually had to explain it to me when I clearly had no idea what she meant. Personally, I’m tired of the “random word is actually offensive” outrage treadmill. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/47 "2017-01-20T13:38:48Z")
I’ve heard of an “egg” before (white on the outside, yellow on the inside, thank you _Law and Order_) but I’ve never heard of a banana being a slur. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/48 "2017-01-20T14:01:10Z")
I’ve heard both banana and twinkie used. The terms were specifically referring to _Asians who acted white_, or considered certain aspects of white culture to be part of their own identity, while rejecting their own culture. Some had no issue with either term, while others saw it as an insult, but as usual, context matters. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/49 "2017-01-20T14:05:44Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So, what exactly is “acting white”? Depends on the context. In most cases I heard it, it was probably wearing Ugg boots, North Face fleece, and drinking pumpkin spice lattes. Often the accent. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/50 "2017-01-20T14:10:14Z")
I’d heard of it passingly and understood what it meant in the context of “Do you know how banana can be a slur?” but never thought of it as actively offensive on its own. I certainly wouldn’t be afraid to use the word in any context besides “That Asian guy is such a banana” and I’d never use it in THAT context because it’s just dumb. Especially coming from a white guy like me. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/51 "2017-01-20T14:14:41Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So, what exactly is “acting white”? Where I grew up, it would be reading books, speaking correct English and going on to Uni after school rather than joining a gang. But Asian-Americans _probably_ have a different set of criteria… ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/52 "2017-01-20T14:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] Depends on the context. In most cases I heard it, it was probably wearing Ugg boots, North Face fleece, and drinking pumpkin spice lattes. Often the accent. [/QUOTE] > [@MrDibble](#): > > Where I grew up, it would be reading books, speaking correct English and going on to Uni after school rather than joining a gang. But Asian-Americans _probably_ have a different set of criteria… :rolleyes: Those are “white” things? How? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/53 "2017-01-20T14:19:38Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Where I grew up, it would be reading books, speaking correct English and going on to Uni after school rather than joining a gang. But Asian-Americans _probably_ have a different set of criteria… Ironically, the guy in the OP’s IRL last name is “Mayo”, the literal and figurative essence of whiteness. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/54 "2017-01-20T14:28:52Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I had heard the term Twinkie, but never banana. > > My ex-wife, a dark skinned Mexican American, was often called a coconut by Hispanicneighbors and relatives who thought her education and ambition made her too big for her britches. > > Most non whites seem to have some sort of “white in the inside” phrase for fellow ethnics who are too assimilated. What about white people who act black, white on the outside, black on the inside? I’ve never heard a food metaphor for that. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/55 "2017-01-20T14:38:14Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What about white people who act black, white on the outside, black on the inside? I’ve never heard a food metaphor for that. M&M’s? ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/56 "2017-01-20T14:39:15Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What about white people who act black, white on the outside, black on the inside? I’ve never heard a food metaphor for that. How many foods or snacks are even white on the outside, black on the inside? The answer may lie there. According to this article, titled [“Overthinking It: Using Food As A Racial Metaphor”](http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/09/12/348008432/overthinking-it-using-food-as-a-racial-metaphor), one term would be “snowball”. To date, I’ve never heard anyone called a _snowball_. Usually people skip the food reference for another choice term. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/57 "2017-01-20T14:48:25Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > What about white people who act black, white on the outside, black on the inside? I’ve never heard a food metaphor for that. [Google images](https://www.google.com/search?q=fruit+black+inside&biw=1056&bih=518&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiimvqt-tDRAhUEw1QKHZPDAD8Q_AUIBigB) isn’t giving anything helpful, but I do wonder what kind of weird-ass person could be called a “dragonfruit.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/58 "2017-01-20T15:05:29Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I know a woman whose given name is Gypsy. I’d find it more than a bit presumptuous for a systems administrator or whoever to censor my username, especially if the part they considered offensive was my actual name. Not saying that’s what happened in **gigi’s** case; I guess I’m still getting used to gypsy being a slur. Heh. Our rules also said your username couldn’t contain any part of your real name, so we’d be covered either way. 🙂 I was torn at the time; I knew of the derogatory nature from the Dope but not everyone does. I reviewed with my boss and we decided to err on the side of the possibility of offense. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/59 "2017-01-20T15:29:32Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [Google images](https://www.google.com/search?q=fruit+black+inside&biw=1056&bih=518&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiimvqt-tDRAhUEw1QKHZPDAD8Q_AUIBigB) isn’t giving anything helpful, but I do wonder what kind of weird-ass person could be called a “dragonfruit.” North Ireland Protestant on the outside, Black Irish on the inside. Maybe someone who professes to be a Ulsterman, but secretly backs unification. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568/60 "2017-01-20T16:17:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yes. Without reading any posts in this thread: > > As a riff on this phrase: Oreo = Black on the outside, white not he inside (Black person who “acts white”) > > Banana - Yellow on the outside, white on the inside. (Asian person who “acts white”) I’ve heard the former, but not the latter. Learned something something new. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-that-banana-was-a-slur-to-asian-americans/777568.md?page=4)