The Hanbok's Tale

For novelist Crystal Hana Kim, making America great again means reclaiming her sartorial roots.

The day after Donald Trump was elected in 2016, I pulled a hanbok out of my closet. I felt compelled to wear this traditional Korean garment, with its stiffcollar, short top, and floor-length, empire-waist skirt, as my small statement of resistance. To some, such a gesture might read conservative, feminine, or modest, but to me it was defiantly different. After all, with every sexist or xenophobic barb Trump lobbed, I became more determined to flaunt my womanhood and Korean identity.

That evening, as I headed to a restaurant in downtown Chicago with friends, I felt a little self-conscious but still pleased with my outfit choice. I shrugged offthe sidelong glances of passersby, resolute in my mission. But as we rounded a corner, a young woman in jeans and a baseball cap yelled, “You look like Mulan!”

It’s hard to describe the vulnerability I felt as I was called out for being “other” in America, that day of all days. I averted my eyes, afraid the stranger’s comment might escalate into a rant or, worse, a physical confrontation. My palms slick with sweat, I breathed in shallow bursts. I knew my dress would attract attention, but I hadn’t expected such a direct outburst. My friends expressed remorse, but I barely reacted, too disoriented to be articulate. Inside, though, I seethed—at the stranger, but also at myself. Why hadn’t I responded more forcefully? My entire point had been to show that diversity was a necessary, integral part of our country, and yet I had remained silent.