Published in Arts. The Asian Australian narrative has existed since the Gold Rush era of the s. But unless we were watching SBS, current affairs or 'Masterchef', there has been little Asian representation across the media. We are in a brave new world where words, more than ever, have power. And at the forefront, Michelle and Benjamin laid down the Law for an unforgettable clash that assembled local support, national attention and five-star reviews across Facebook.
This was definitely a battle hard fought in the face of gender politics, where increasingly extreme right views continue to find a foothold among the legendary standards of Australian apathy. And who better to be ironically victorious in such literal bloodshed than an alternative and enlightened cultured countenance to the extreme right; that of a Sunshine Coast-bred, Chinese Australian female writer.
Michelle tweets continue to permeate the digital world, ranging from musings on life hacks in general, to issues around the LGBTQ community, politics and feminism where she has purpose and remains unapologetically political β not to mention, poignantly hilarious. But Asian faces still remain woefully represented in the stories that need to be told. So 'Single Asian Female' is one such story to highlight the Chinese Australian narrative, though it resonates deeply throughout every Australian home.
Certainly, it might appear hauntingly familiar as a family comedy, about a Chinese family set on the Sunshine Coast within their family restaurant. But it presents a refreshing perspective to the universal problems of family dynamics as gender, generational and cultural rifts continue to filter through the ages.
Good stories are good stories at the end of the day, and the reason we as humans seek each other out to connect, in our atavistic yearning for nights around the fire. The difference with 'Single Asian Female' this time around in sees Michelle stepping onto the stage and into the shoes of character Zoe Wong.
