The term “oriental” is often regarded as an ethnic slur. Some people jocularly believe that a school “orientation” should be called “Asiantation.”
     
“Orientation now Asiantation” was posted on the newsgroup rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang on May 19, 1999. “orientation/asiantation” was posted on Twitter by Beth Gramling Sanders on February 12, 2009. “Orientation today and tomorrow. If they’re all into diversity and sensitivity, shouldn’t that be ‘Asiantation’?” was posted on Twitter by Whiskey Sodden Profligate on February 1, 2010. “Orientation is racist! It’s Asiantation!” was posted on Twitter by Passions Network on March 6, 2015.
       
“My kid’s teacher: Welcome parents and students to orientation. Me, raising hand: Excuse me. I think we call it Asiantation now” was posted on Twitter by Rick Aaron on November 10, 2021.
     
     
Wikipedia: Orient
The Orient is a term for the East, traditionally comprising anything that belongs to the Eastern world, in relation to Europe. It is the antonym of Occident, the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the continent of Asia, loosely classified into the Near East, Middle East and Far East: the geographical and ethno-cultural regions now known as West Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Originally, the term Orient was used to designate the Near East, and later its meaning evolved and expanded, designating also the Middle East or the Far East.
 
The term oriental is often used to describe objects from the Orient, however it can be considered an offensive term by some when used to refer to people of East Asian and South East Asian descent.
     
Google Groups: rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang
MorganPark
May 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM
>The area of the world now known collectively as “Asia” was for some time
>previously known as “the orient”. By the same token that you may be
>referred to as “Asian” if you are from “Asia”, the label “oriental” is
>similarly descriptive. A bit anachronistic, yes, but pejorative? Not a
 
From the Politically Correct Dictionary:
Oriental now Asian
Orient Express now Asian Train
Orientation now Asiantation
   
Twitter
Beth Gramling Sanders • WordPress Website Design·Feb 12, 2009
Replying to @BestMemBurger
@MemphisSeth yeahhh! i was thinking the sam thing ... have a great day at orientation/asiantation ... (ht to @webraw)
   
Twitter
Eric Janssen@webraw·Feb 12, 2009
Replying to @jwsandersjr
@jwsandersjr It was a really dumb “joke” Whenever my wife says “Orientation” I correct her by saying “Asiantation”
   
Twitter
Whiskey Sodden Profligate
@countstockula
Orientation today and tomorrow. If they’re all into diversity and sensitivity, shouldn’t that be “Asiantation”?
6:41 AM · Feb 1, 2010·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
John
@thereckoning
30 minute orientation on Wednesday for my new job. I’d rather call it “Asiantation” thank you very much! /via @shanelley—This wins.
12:53 PM · Apr 26, 2010·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Salar Samii
@SalarSamii
Orientation should be called Asiantation, if they want to be p.c. #champwisdom
10:30 PM · Aug 20, 2011·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
April
@aprilbegins
I wonder why the word ‘orientation’ didn’t change last century to ‘asiantation’  #awareness
3:20 PM · Nov 13, 2011·Seesmic
     
Twitter
coesign
@coesign
My son’s helping out at orientation. Shouldn’t it be called asiantation?
11:41 AM · Jun 25, 2012·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
all female Josh Glass reboot
@HotYoungPiece
Is it offensive if you make an asian go through orientation? Do you have to call it asiantation?
9:55 PM · Aug 31, 2012·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
bluerei
@bluerei
Racist job term of the week: “New Job Orientation Meeting”
First off, I’m not ‘Oriental’ neither are others in this Asiantation Meeting.
2:43 PM · Feb 6, 2014·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Shari VanderWerf
@Shariv67
I’m being told the term “sexual orientation” is no longer politically correct. I’m sorry. I meant “sexual ASIANtation.”
1:00 PM · Apr 22, 2014·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
TugboatPhil
@TugboatPhil
Replying to @alyankovic
@alyankovic Saw sign at local college “Student Orientation.” I complained and told them it should be Student Asiantation.
8:32 PM · Aug 13, 2014·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Passions Network
@PassionsNetwork
Replying to @TheTweetOfGod
@TheTweetOfGod Orientation is racist! It’s Asiantation!
12:20 AM · Mar 6, 2015·Twitter for iPad
   
Twitter
Austin
@Austin_Hodgens
The term “Orientation” is no longer considered politically correct. Please report for Asiantation with HR tomorrow…
5:50 PM · Apr 25, 2015·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Michael Sielschott
@siels86
It’s not orientation u racists #Asiantation
11:14 AM · Feb 10, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
WJ Reid
@WJReid3
The term sexual orientation is no longer politically correct. The new term is sexual asiantation.
7:00 PM · Jan 17, 2020·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
Punished YellowViolin
@zhengyingli
Replying to @Grummz
I don’t know, mxn. I’m also an Asian, and during the summer prior to my freshmxn year in college, I passed out after seeing the word “orientation” and demanded them to change it to “Asiantation.” You need to be more sensitive.
10:58 PM · Jul 12, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Rick Aaron
@RickAaron
My kid’s teacher: Welcome parents and students to orientation.
Me, raising hand: Excuse me. I think we call it Asiantation now.
4:04 PM · Nov 10, 2021·Twitter for iPhone