Tsai's paper seems to describe a Twinkie (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) culture among Harvard's Asian Americans students. There's even a Harvard Twinkie Facebook group made up of Asian Americans who are apparently serious about their Twinkieness.

"One of the most alarming features of my research was how Asian students who went to Harvard were very aware of and often shied away from having too many Asian friends. They saw having only white friends as sort of a badge of honor," Tsai told the Washington Post.

Granted, Tsai's research is based on a survey of 27 people, but it's not unbelievable. Being a Twinkie or a banana is a common stereotype among Asian Americans. There's an air of truth to it, and it's not just at Harvard.

The other day I was at REI, chain of outdoorsy sporting goods stores, and pretty much everyone there perusing the snow gear and camping equipment was either Asian American (most likely Chinese) or white. Come to think of it, what the hell was I doing there? Am I a closet Twinkie?

Seriously, though, I can only speak for myself, but I would guess that many of us who aren't part of the majority have felt a sense of self-hate at one time or another and sought to "fit in." At some point you either join a Twinkie Facebook group or realize you can't be something you aren't. If you take the reality route, it's not always easy. I'm still shopping at REI. (Just kidding! There's nothing wrong with REI.)