On Lunar New Year as Queer Asian American
I am starting yet another blog with “as a queer Asian American” because that is just how salient social identities are when navigating society. My Chinese American identity is especially present as I gear up for my second, my true New Year - Lunar New Year. Here is the background on this celebration and how it’s changed since coming out.
What is Lunar Year?
Lunar New Year is celebrated by many Asian countries and typically occurs on the first new moon of the lunar calendar. To me and my Chinese Buddhist family, it is a week or so of food, festivities, and family gatherings to bring prosperity, fortune, and happiness to the new year!* Here are a few traditions we have:
In China, the country actually has a few days off prior to the start of the new year, as there are many household chores to do and rules to adhere to.
Clean your home!
Cleaning before the new year signifies we are removing the waste and dirt of the old year to enter the new one on a clean slate. We sweep (or vacuum) the floors, throw out the trash, and finish all our laundry.
Sweeping the floors on New Year’s Day means sweeping all the good fortune and luck away. Throwing out the trash on New Year’s Day highlights the waste that will now be in the new year. Doing the laundry on New Year’s Day also highlights the waste!
Putting this all into action in the U.S. is more difficult, as we don’t have the days off and garbage trucks may come directly on the day! However, families will try their best to connect with their culture and religion.Prepare all the good food!
There are must-haves during New Year that represent good fortune, luck, peace, and prosperity based on their names. This is our version of manifesting for the year.
We will always have fish (鱼- yú) during our meal because 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú). 余 - yú means abundance and has the same pronunciation as fish. So, we wish that every year brings an abundance of wealth and happiness. We will always have apples (苹果 - píng guǒ) because 平平安安 (píng píng ān ān), meaning safety and peace. We will always have sponge cake (发糕 - fā gāo) because 发 - fā means fortune. I could continue the list for days.
*Please note that I can only speak to the traditions and significance of my specific identity as a Chinese American, so I encourage you all to do research on the Asian diaspora! Explore the expansive cultures within what the U.S. has designated with the umbrella word of Asian. I’ve listed a few below:
Korean Solnal
Mongolian Tsagaan Sar
Tibetan Losar
Vietnamese Tết
Intersection of My Queerness & My Culture
Here’s the “as a queer Asian American” part! How could I ever forget? Living in the U.S., there are already barriers to celebrating Lunar New Year. We don’t have days off. The country itself doesn’t recognize Lunar New Year as a holiday. We might not even be physically close to our immediate or extended family. Now let’s add another wrench into the mix! As a fairly out queer Asian American, I have experienced a lot of change, been met with different reactions, and had to redefine this aspect of my culture. As such, Lunar New Year has taken on a different ~feel~ with my chosen family.
With my chosen family, traditions have changed. We microwave fish sticks instead of cooking whole fish. We gift lottery tickets instead of exchanging the classic envelopes (because those envelopes are more expensive than you’d think). We barely have time to clean our living areas. And we don’t even share the same identities sometimes! While I don’t spend the traditional amount of time with my biological family, I’ve come to see Lunar New Year as a great source of joy and connection. It’s not the typical Lunar New Year celebration, but it’s one that still feels very much full of prosperity, fortune, and happiness.
Amanda Lam is a queer Asian American, an aspiring therapist, and the Care Coordinator at Kindman & Co. They really enjoy connecting with others and building community. They are especially interested in working with/supporting QTPOC folx. For fun, Amanda loves to explore different coffee shops, dance, and be creative—whether through art, design, or photography.
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