We Can Do Hard Things

Mothers & Sons with Ocean Vuong (and Chase Melton) (Best Of)

44 snips
May 11, 2025
Ocean Vuong, acclaimed author and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, engages in a heartfelt conversation with Glennon and her son, Chase. They explore the profound impact of Ocean's work on Chase and the unique challenges Asian boys face in America. Ocean shares his experiences with grief and empathy drawn from his mother's death, and discusses his views on masculinity and the importance of complicating traditional narratives. Their dialogue beautifully weaves together themes of identity, loss, and the artistry of storytelling.
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INSIGHT

Complicating Masculinity

  • Ocean Vuong sees maleness as an evolving project needing complication, not rejection.
  • He views masculinity as a construct that can be innovated or reclaimed for diverse expressions.
ANECDOTE

Mother's Pride and Burden

  • Ocean’s mother, a nail technician, cried after his first reading seeing older white people applaud him.
  • She felt celebrated through him, though it highlighted the burden of Asian American exceptionality.
INSIGHT

Conditional Asian American Visibility

  • Asian American recognition often requires exceptionality tied to pain or trauma.
  • This reflects a societal default of valuing Asian lives primarily in crisis or suffering.
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