#15 On equity and challenging personal preferences with Johnathan Gibbs (aka blasianFMA)

For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America. This episode, we chat with Johnathan Gibbs, aka blasianFMA about activism, biracial identities, model minority myths, our racial preferences, and so much more. Johnathan Gibbs, he/him/his also known as blasianFMA online, is a content creator, podcaster, activist, serial panelist, and bubble tea enthusiast. His work in activism began with his YouTube channel “blasainFMA” in 2008, in which he worked to bring awareness to multiracial issues surrounding the intersection of Black and Asian identity. He later enjoyed a 60 episode run of his first podcast “Edugaytion” which covered QPOC issues from the point of view of people from around the United States. He is now working on a newly launched podcast, “This QPOC Life” which is a spiritual successor to the Edugaytion series, re-imagined and ever evolving to be more sensitive to all marginalized communities. This episode, we cover:

• The story behind the name: blasianFMA
• Creating content in the early days of YouTube.
• How Johnathan got started in activism and creating safe spaces
• What was it like growing up biracial Asian and Black.
• How does both the Asian and Black community respond to biracial identities?
• Breaking down the model minority myth.
• Coming out after publishing a conservative article.
• Dating as a biracial Black and Asian man.
• Why racism is more than just our preferences.
• Thoughts on dating apps, objectification, and stereotypes.
• How does the work show up in dating?
• When activism and dating lives collide.

Resources:

• Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino -/ American Postcolonial Psychology by E.J.R. David
• Brown Boys and Rice Queens: Spellbinding Performance in the Asias by Eng-Beng Lim

You can reach out to Johnathan via his Instagram @BlasianFMA. You can follow me at: Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi) YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi) Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)