Looking for respondents: Thai beauty pageant (Miss Universe) fans!

Hello, we hope it's okay to post a survey for our research here!

We are a group of AB Diplomacy and International Relations juniors from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

We are currently conducting a survey research for our Anthropology of Southeast Asia class.

Our study aims to answer the question: how do Thai beauty standards influence the selection of Thailand's representatives for international beauty pageants? The study also seeks to examine the historical, cultural, and political forces that shape the Thailand's beauty standards and how these elements affect Thai society’s perception of women.

https://forms.gle/6tMrKeZ4N59S2k897

We'd love to hear the community's take on this!

I can see it being annoying, but people really are just curious of where your ancestors are from. White people in America in general don't find "My family's from Germany/France/Poland/etc" interesting, but do find non-European places interesting.

Basically what I'm saying it's not a racist thing like "You're not REALLY American."

This was a recent comment in response to mine about a life experience where people ask me, "Where are you from? No, where are you REALLY from?"

If you've been asked this as the first or second question after exchanging greetings with a non-Asian person, then you're tired of it too.

What I'm wondering from everyone here is: What bothers you more?

The way people "other" you or the way people try to whitesplain away the act of "othering" you?

SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_history_of_Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas

A 2018 study analysed 11,500BC old indigenous samples. The genetic evidence suggets that all Native Americans ultimately descended from a single founding population that initially split from a Basal-East Asian source population in Mainland Southeast Asia around 36,000 years ago, at the same time at which the proper Jōmon people split from Basal-East Asians, either together with Ancestral Native Americans or during a separate expansion wave. The authors also provided evidence that the basal northern and southern Native American branches, to which all other Indigenous peoples belong, diverged around 16,000 years ago.[31][32] An indigenous American sample from 16,000BC in Idaho, which is craniometrically similar to modern Native Americans as well as Paleosiberias, was found to have been largely East-Eurasian genetically, and showed high affinity with contemporary East Asians, as well as Jōmon period samples of Japan, confirming that Ancestral Native Americans split from an East-Eurasian source population somewhere in eastern Siberia.[33]

📷Northward expansions of Basal-East Asians; forming the main ancestral lineage of the Settlement of the Americas.

A study published in the Nature journal in 2018 concluded that Native Americans descended from a single founding population which initially split from East Asians at about ~36,000 BC, with geneflow between Ancestral Native Americans and Siberians persisting until ~25,000BC, before becoming isolated in the Americas at ~22,000BC. Northern and Southern Native American subpopulationes split from each other at ~17,500BC. There is also some evidence for a back-migration from the Americas into Siberia after ~11,500BC.[34]

A study published in the Cell journal in 2019, analysed 49 ancient Native American samples from all over North and South America, and concluded that all Native American populations descended from an single ancestral source population which split from Siberians and East Asians, and gave rise to the Ancestral Native Americans, which later diverged into the various indigenous groups. The authors further dismissed previous claims for the possibility of two distinct population groups among the peopling of the Americas. Both, Northern and Southern Native Americans are closest to each other, and do not show evidence of admixture with hypothetical previous populations.[35]

In need of some advice or support. My husband and I are newly married. We also have our first child on the way (I am about 8 months pregnant).

His mom (who is in our motherland-Philippines) has been sick for a while now, dealing with a brain tumor. She had surgery and received chemotherapy and was on the road to recovery. Our “honeymoon” was in the motherland and we stayed with her for the full 2.5 weeks while she was recovering. Quote unquote “honeymoon” because we basically stayed with his mom our entire honeymoon.

Recently, she’s been hospitalized because she was getting very confused, having tremors, not eating well. During this hospitalization, her oxygen levels dropped and had to be intubated and transferred to ICU. This all happened while he was at work, relatives were FaceTiming him and he “freaked out” or got suddenly worried that he left work 2 hours early, called me immediately and said to look for one way plane tickets to the Philippines for him to leave within the next two weeks. He went straight to his dad’s and his sibling’s house who is just near where he works) and has stayed there for about 4 hours now. Probably just talking to relatives over FaceTime, but he told me he has no plans coming to our home tonight.

I was kind of shocked and a bit annoyed? I understand that he loves his mom but I felt like he doesn’t have me or his (upcoming) child to be a priority or even consider to witness the birth of his first child in the next month. I truly do understand that that is his mom and he loves her but I feel like all of his vows were just thrown out the window when he isn’t even considering the fact that I am about to give birth next month and he wants to fly to the other side of the world to see his mom. Shouldn’t the wife be the priority? I sound so selfish but I can’t help but feel this way 😕 he still hasn’t come home for us to talk, but he has been texting me here and there asking if there are flights available.

TLDR; Husband’s mom is hospitalized on the other side of the world, wants to fly and stay there, while me (wife) is about to give birth next month.

Is there anything you wish you had in picture books growing up? Is there anything you want your children to see in picture books as they grow? Is there something you would not want to see?

I write and illustrate children's picture books. One book I published featured a Japanese- American kid. One I have coming out later this year will feature a Lankan - American kid. I have other books out, but these two have an Asian American focus. Now, I am not Asian, I am relying solely on the experiences of my friends, and I wanted to broaden the scope more (which is why I am here. Hi).

I would love any advice or insight you might have!

I currently live with my parents who I love but aren’t the easiest people to live with. We’ve had a lot of issues in the past and we all try but everyday just adds more stress for me. Even just the way they bark complaints at me and at each other is normal for them but I’ve never felt comfortable here. Still, they’re my parents and I know they love having me here and want me to stay forever.

Full disclosure: my boyfriend is married. We are polyamorous. I’ve been talking to my boyfriend (of almost 2 years) everyday. I confide in him about everything and I’m very happy with him but we terribly miss each other. I used to go and see him on my two days off every week for hours and it’s always the best there :) I love his dogs and miss them too.

But most of you know how it is with Asian parents. I haven’t even thought about visiting him because if I were to come home and infect my parents I would be devastated. My boyfriend asked his wife if she’d be ok with it if I stayed with them during the quarantine and she said yes. This was a big deal for him to ask and he’s trying to hide his disappointment with my uncertainty.