Finding out and defining one's identity is hard enough for a typical American teenager. It is even more difficult for teenagers to define themselves in a society that they do not completely fit in, particularly Southeast Asians. Through many articles and films, the authors depict the lives of many Southeast Asian youths. They show the difficulties that many Southeast Asians go through in their struggle to find their identities. In the search for their identities, Southeast Asians have many different ways of exploring who they are. This construction of identity for Southeast Asians is greatly influenced and affected by the education system, their parents, and their peers in order to create a sense of identity regarding their race, gender, and sexuality.
             Identities are strengthened through a sense of connection. It is through this connection that individuals do not feel alone and feel comfortable accepting their identities. One of the women that was read about in Gina Masequesmay's "Emergence of Queer Vietnamese America," stated that "knowing that there are other queer Vietnamese out there provides a source of affirmation" (Masequesmay, 130). This shows that because she had found others that share particular similarities with her, she found it much easier to feel that being of a different sexual orientation is acceptable and not forbidden. Being an individual seems to provide weakness to many who are searching for their identities. Many find strength in numbers and often turn to their peers for guidance on finding their identities. It is through connection with other people that allow many to explore their identities.
             This connectivity among individuals is also seen in the creation of Southeast Asian gangs, particularly Vietnamese gangs. "New gang members... who have undergone Americanization have relearned Vietnamese language and culture through gang members. In this way the gang appears to protect and preserve aspects of the c...