<h2>Embracing My Greek American Heritage Through “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”</h2>
As a child, my siblings and I proudly wore GAP T-shirts that read “Greek American Princess” (or prince for my brother). In middle school, a classmate asked if being Greek Orthodox meant we believed in Zeus and Hera. Iconic Greek symbols magically appeared in my luggage on every trip, secretly hidden by my father. Even now, I have a bottle of olive oil from my family’s grove in Greece sitting in my apartment. These experiences represent just a few Greek American stereotypes I’ve encountered. Raised by Greek immigrant grandparents and great-grandparents, my life has always been immersed in my heritage. I was baptized in the Greek Orthodox church, attended Greek school, participated in Greek dance troupes, and spent summers at Greek camp. While the Greek American community is sizeable, media representation has often been lacking. That was until “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”
I was three years old when “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was released, so my Greek American identity is deeply intertwined with the movie. The vernacular from the film has become so ingrained in our culture that we recite quotes from it as if it were scripture. “There are two kinds of people: Greeks, and everyone else who wishes they were Greek.” I even thought my mom originated the saying, “The man is the head of the house, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants,” because she loved it so much.
I first watched the movie at around ten years old. I related to Toula, the protagonist, who could articulate my experiences before I had the vocabulary to express them. Like her, I was visibly different from my predominantly White classmates in the Midwestern neighborhood where I grew up. I often joked that I was leading a double life as an American at school and Greek during evenings and weekends. It was a disorienting experience, but “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” helped me appreciate my culture and the joy of sharing it with others. I was captivated by the love story in the film, particularly the scene where Ian gets baptized into the Greek Orthodox church for Toula. It touched my heart and reaffirmed my desire to share my culture with a future partner.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and its sequels continued to play sentimental roles in my life. I love introducing the movie to non-Greeks and watching it together. During an internship in Athens, I watched the film with my new friends at a hotel in Koroni, translating the jokes for them. It was a delightful way to share my heritage with those eager to learn.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” premiered in 2016, and I watched it with over twenty family members in a packed theater in metro Detroit. The movie coincided with my senior year of high school, a time when I was deciding between in-state and out-of-state colleges. The plot directly mirrored my situation, and my mom cried at the theater because it resonated with us so profoundly. The film showed Toula and Ian’s daughter grappling with choosing between the Midwest and New York City, and in the end, her traditional grandmother encouraged her to pursue her dreams.
When I decided to move to New York two years ago, I was nervous to break the news to my grandparents. However, they were thrilled for me, as New York was their settlement when they immigrated. It felt like coming home, especially since I share my grandmother’s name. Just last week, I watched “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” in New York. While the sequels didn’t surpass the original, the film evoked unexpected emotions. Perhaps it was the relatable plot, homesickness, or feeling detached from the community I grew up with. I’m still grappling with how to maintain my connection to my culture despite living far away from family. It’s challenging, and the third movie’s message of returning home deeply resonated with me.
Now, as I navigate life and forge my identity as a Greek American, I find comfort in knowing that I can carry my family with me through “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s a reminder of the bond we share and the love that connects us. As Maria, Toula’s mother, said in the first movie, “I gave you life so that you could live it.” And that’s exactly what I’m doing, embracing my Greek American heritage every step of the way.
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