I was in high school the first time I ever saw an Asian woman play a lead role in a major TV show. And it was not until I was well into my 30s before I came across a female Asian main character in a fantasy book. In the books, shows and films of my youth, Asian characters were rare; if one was present, they were almost always the unattractive, nerdy sidekick.
While I perhaps didn’t realise it at the time, the lack of Asian representation in mainstream Australian media had a profound impact on my sense of self – and my acceptance (or lack thereof) of my cultural identity. I used to dream of going to sleep one night and waking up blonde-haired and blue-eyed, just so I could fit in better with kids at school. Growing up, being Asian made me feel like an outsider, and somehow lesser-than.
