Cultural Hegemony

Steven Chi

5/29/14

Reading Response #10

In response to “Emergence of Queer Vietnamese America” by Gina Masequesmay

ASA 2 - Section A02

Many support groups look like this today in America, but this methodology is certainly not supported by Ô-Môi.
  

                The article “Emergence of Queer Vietnamese America” was about a queer support organization called Ô-Môi. It followed three individuals, how they came to realize their sexual orientations, and how Ô-Môi, unlike other mainstream queer support organizations, actually catered to their own needs.

To Ô-Môi participants, the organization was also a place for later-generation Vietnamese American queers to reconnect with lost cultural roots and their heritage language. It’s important to note that this support system is one subtle way for Vietnamese queers to fight against “white” hegemony within America. What I mean by this is that, to many Americans, whites tend to overpower other ethnic groups on deciding how societies should be run and that support groups like Ô-Môi help prevent this by giving the suppressed a voice. One example in Masquesmay’s article is “white” organizations that are catered to Vietnamese queers. As good as their intentions they may be, these organizations tend to be “culturally insensitive” compared to Ô-Môi (122).

I argue that other ethnic groups should follow Ô-Môi’s example and set up other support groups – whether they be for alcoholics, overeaters, LGBTQ, or even for youth – that are dedicated to one particular cultural or ethnic background. Not only are these groups psychologically nurturing, but they are also a way to show to the rest of society that these groups' participants should be valued.

Question: How can we promote Ô-Môi’s cultural sensitivity to other support groups, if at all?