Queer and Trans Asian (American) Love Through Media and Literature

This zine analyzes representations of queer Asian Americans through media and literature to help understand some of the many ways love can be perceived. The zine has students explore how concepts such as intersectionality, immigration, and heteronormativity influence the kinds of love queer Asian Americans experience in the individual, interpersonal, and familial domains. It discusses examples of self love, romantic love, and community/familial love. The zine includes analysis activities of various poems, book excerpts, and clips from movies and television series all featuring queer Asian Americans. There is space for answering questions, and information at the end about further readings and other examples of movies that are in the same sphere as the examples in the zine. Feel free to adapt parts of the journal as needed. This resource was created as part of AS AM 186: Creating AAS Open Educational Resources, taught by Dr. Jigna Desai at the University of California, Santa Barbara in Fall 2024.

REFERENCED MEDIA AND LITERATURE

(All clips and excerpts are no longer than three minutes in length)

Films

• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Fire Island
• Saving Face
• The Half of It

Television Shows

• Never Have I Ever
• XO Kitty

Books

• On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
• Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong
• The Yellow Sparrow by Santa Khura