Living Between Two Countries
Between the technological advancements in transportation and communication, people are venturing out of their home countries and mixing in one, large, global melting pot. As a result, the number of interracial marriages is steadily increasing, and with that comes the number of multiracial people born into the world. As the world becomes more and more interconnected, some people pose the question of whether we should start viewing ourselves as a citizen of the Earth instead of citizens of our respective countries. Although some argue that people with biracial backgrounds should push for global citizenship to gain awareness and tolerance for their competing national identities as well as others, I argue that adopting a binational identity allows multiracial people to develop an even stronger sense of cultural sensitivity through the diverse experiences in their unique personal narratives.
So what exactly is a binational identity? Unlike a national identity which pushes for a single allegiance to a particular community to be a contributing member, a binational identity allows for an allegiance to more than one country. This subset of a national identity is more practical for multiracial people like myself because we’re allowed to practice all aspects of our heritage without having to pick and choose. Our entire background is important to who we are; we can’t select just a single part to identify with.
My mom came to the U.S. from Iran and my dad from China, so I have personal connections with both countries of origin, and I choose to identify myself binationally as a Persian-Chinese living in America as a result. Whether it’s the festivities of preparing steamy dumplings and receiving red, treasure-filled envelopes during the Chinese Lunar New Year, or jumping over a blazing bonfire and decorating the symbolic “Haft-sin” table with painted eggs, goldfish, and spices during the Persian New Year, both of my cultures are of equal importance to who I am. And I continue to partake in both traditions by maintaining a binational identity.
As a result, I am able to identify key commonalities and differences that run between my diverse communities as well as others. To illustrate, one of the most important reasons why I decided to attend a university so close to home was because of the core familial mindset that was instilled in me from a young age. Both my Chinese and Persian cultures heavily emphasize the importance of maintaining close relationships with relatives, whether it’s through the family-oriented celebrations or the reminder to always respect your elders. This commonality is so important to my personal narrative, and also so different from the early emancipation that is characteristic of western culture in the United States, and seeing this clearly is crucial to achieving a global mindset.
My unique experience treading between the Persian and Chinese communities has heightened my understanding of the world around me, and allowed me to develop a stronger cultural sensitivity: an awareness and acceptance of the similarities and differences between other cultures. I choose to take pride in my heritage by identifying binationally because the similarities I have observed between my two cultures give me confidence and empowerment when learning about other cultures as well. When I started working as a cashier at a small, family-owned Mexican restaurant near home, I always felt comfortable because I saw the core familial priority that also functioned at the root of Mexican culture, like my own. Having a binational identity, unlike a national identity, allows me to connect the dots between nations and see how our differences define who we are, but we’re also very much the same. I can understand the world at a broader level and avoid the dangers of xenophobia and nationalism that can come with a national identity because I choose to attach myself with multiple nations instead of just one.
We should draw from our unique combination of heritages to develop a stronger sense of global awareness that does not simply impose the values and beliefs of our nation. These unique personal narratives provide invaluable experience that probe the expansion of cultural ideas and interconnectivity. I uphold many of the traits of a global citizen by identifying as a binational citizen because I also promote the cooperation between countries, the growth for tolerance, and the dedication to develop a strong understanding of the countries around the globe. Connecting with China and Iran is my medium to get firsthand experience and witness these interactions and apply them when dealing with other countries too.
But at that point, why not just adopt a global identity? Some may object that a global identity would allow for this same development of a cultural sensitivity while also strengthening a sense of global responsibility that could address worldwide problems. With the internet, new modes of transportation, and increasing awareness, the intermixing of cultures is more prevalent than ever, and so a global identity allows individuals to overcome their divided background and strengthen their global awareness without bias to any one nation, right?
I concede a global identity can also strengthen awareness, yet practicing it doesn’t provide the same personal narrative as someone who actually takes part and takes pride in their home. Cultures are not formed overnight. They are made through the practicing of traditions over the course of generations, which stems from a national pride in your people. A global identity eliminates this national pride because it strives to adopt a sense of identity that belongs to no single nation or has any bias. Therefore, wouldn’t global citizenship then inhibit diversity in the long run? With people relieving all personal connections with their country of origin, what would they share that contributes to diversity? If diversity is defined as including people from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds, global citizenship inhibits diversity by suppressing the cultural background of individuals in order to create an identity without national bias. A binational identity allows us to observe the similarities and differences that run through the cultures of our world, which is the key to understanding the inner workings and interactions between countries.
In conclusion, global awareness needs to start somewhere, and I strongly believe a strong binational personal narrative cultivates this awareness. Both global identity and a pure national identity suppress the true narrative of multiracial individuals. However, binational identity allows one to associate with their respective communities while pursuing a deeper knowledge that strays away from xenophobia and nationalism. We learn more from taking the time to understand different cultures than trying to suppress them.
