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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
IS THE AA GENDER DIVIDE REAL?
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:55 AM)
sian American women are abandoning AA men by the millions. Young AA women seek out any race of men but their own. Women like Amy Tan write books and make movies that dump on AA men and glorify Asian women in relationships with white men.
That's the perception of many AA men.
On what do they blame this state of affairs? Brainwashing by media that play up white men while cutting Asian men off at the knees. Desire for payback by AA women who feel slighted by their families and Asian society. Large numbers of non-Asian men with blind fetishes for Asian women. Some even acknowledge that Asian men are often too fixed in their ideas of how a woman should look and behave, causing many AF to feel devalued.
Other Asian Americans see AF outmarriage rates as merely a natural state of affairs for a 4% minority population that includes many recent immigrants. The outmarriage gender gap will narrow as growing Asian population centers provide ready access to bigger pools of singles. Besides outmarriage is't the same as rejecting one's racial identity, they argue. Many AF who outmarry retain strong identification with their Asian identity.
Is there really an Asian American gender divide? Is so, what's behind it? If not, what's behind the perception?
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WHAT YOU SAY
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Part 2
"Roger" is an interesting study in the power of denial. "Roger" appears to accept that the media depicts Asians in a negative light; at least, he does not or cannot contradict the examples previously cited in this forum. "Roger" also accepts that the media can affect people’s behavior - he concedes that MTV can cause suburban white kids to behave in ways similar to the depiction of urban black life they see on that channel. But "Roger" denies that the media can also create negative perceptions of Asian people in Asian Americans. This is the main point of contention. "Roger" agrees that the media can influence people, but says the media absolutely cannot influence their racial perceptions. Specifically, his assertion is that the media cannot influence AF perception of AM, because AFs "typically" have extensive contact with AMs and that the media depiction of Asians is proportionally low. Ergo, the media cannot affect AF perception of AMs. When his assertions are questioned, he absolutely denies that they can be questioned. Let’s puncture these specious arguments one by one.
"Roger" seems to think that we all live in ethnic ghettoes, surrounded by other Asians. Thus, he expects AFs to have extensive contact with AMs. When confronted on this issue, he claims that this is "typical". I would refer him (and everyone) to the US Census results.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/ cen2000/atlas/censr01-108.pdf
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/aasc/change/ census.html
In 2000, Asians comprised 3.6% of the US population, approximately 10.6 million people. Approximately 50% live in Hawaii, California, and the New York area. Even in these areas of concentration, only a few counties had concentrations of Asians over 25% of the population (Hawaii and some portions of Southern California); most Asian Americans in these large clusters live in counties where Asians comprise less than 12% of the population. Approximately half of the Asian American population lives outside of these clusters, usually in counties which have 1% to 3.6% Asian population. Most counties in the US have Asian populations of less than 0.9%. AA kids in these areas can expect to have little contact with other Asians. "Roger" wants to exclude this HALF of the AA population as not "typical". Makes you wonder if he really checked his sources, or just thought his bullshit opinion would be accepted.
"Roger" implies that there are few Asian images in the media. There is no real lack of Asian images in the media. Rather, there is a dearth of realistic or positive Asian images. While media depictions of Asians might be a small percentage of overall content, those depictions have disproportionate impact on Asian Americans. For example, if I see a commercial with only whites, I pay little attention. But if I see a commercial with an Asian face, I take notice. It is not usual, and is more memorable. When a negative depiction of Asians is viewed by a white audience, they may pay it little attention. But when viewed by Asian Americans, this becomes more memorable than it would be if we were in the majority. So while Long Duk Dong may just be an amusing caricature to a white audience and easily forgotten, to Asian Americans the character is a more personal affront which is not easily forgotten. (By the way, this is why I think "Roger" is a WM. Any Asian or African American can recognize this phenomenon. "Roger" does not have any insight into this, and that response is typical of a member of the majority who has never had to deal with the issue.)
I leave it to readers whether my arguments or those of "Roger" are more persuasive. However, I would add that "Roger" has not been able to reply to any single specific argument put forth, but instead simply denies their validity with vague counterassertions, or ignores them. He asks a single question and then denies that any response is relevant. Considering his repetitive and inane posts, one can only imagine how pathetic "Roger’s" life must be to come to this site and to spend that amount of time typing about Asian American issues. He must be "plagued" by some pretty powerful "demons", as he puts it. I would advise him to marry an AF - maybe she could get him to put that time to good use.
Miscegenation is great
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 21:48:20 (PST)
So, "Roger" has returned to spew profuse verbiage with low semantic content. His counterargument is to ignore all specifics and claim they have no validity. That’s fine if you’re brain dead, but doesn’t cut it if you really want to make points in a debate. Summary:
1. There is apparently an Asian American gender divide. The magnitude of this divide is uncertain; I believe it to be minimal, some believe it to be large. As a broad generalization, AFs in America are viewed as sexually attractive, even hypersexualized (some would say degraded to being viewed as available sex toys - "Me so horny!"). AMs are viewed in the opposite light, as asexual or sexually unattractive.
2. Since this type of perception does not exist in Asia, we might ask why such a perception should occur in the USA. Various factors, such as racial perceptions of "marrying up", socioeconomic considerations, and inherent racism in American society have been discussed elsewhere. The discussion on this forum has focused on the effect of American media - news, TV, radio, Internet, cinema.
3. Those who believe the media has a negative effect on Asian Americans generally postulate the following:
a. Media images of Asians and Asian Americans tend to conform to the gender stereotypes described above, as well as other negative racial stereotypes.
b. Media has a powerful, sometimes subconscious effect on the self-image of children and adolescents as they grow up. In particular, viewing repetitive stereotypical images of ethnic groups - whether other ethnic groups or your own - distorts your image of those ethnic groups.
c. By internalizing those stereotypical images - forged out of the prejudices of the majority - the self-image and attitudes of Asian Americans (and all Americans) are altered such that they exhibit behaviors which reflect the images presented in the mass media. So, when confronted by an Asian American person, there is a tendency to expect behavior similar to the perceptions fostered by the media, and to react to that person in the manner portrayed by the media. Even if you are Asian yourself.
Why would someone internalize negative images of oneself and one’s own ethnicity? There is a powerful desire to be part of a group in all people; this urge is particularly powerful in kids and adolescents. By internalizing the images shown on TV or movies, imitating that behavior, you can become part of the majority - if only in a vicarious sense. As Asians, we can never be part of the majority in the US. We are reminded of that every day.
I would be the first to say that this effect is not uniform and people react in individual ways to the media. Some are influenced minimally. Others are heavily affected. However, when I see someone completely deny the influence of the media on their lives, I have to smile. Examine your own life, and those around you. Why drive a Lexus rather than a Toyota? Why drink Coca-Cola rather than the store brand? Why date only one racial group? Do you think that millions are spent on advertising for NO purpose?
Miscegenation is great
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 21:46:07 (PST)
I am an Asian American graduate
student currently visiting Taiwan.
The females here in Taiwan, and I a
ssume HK and China, are so much
approachable than in the USA.
One female, who I have dated
several times confided in me,
that although she has dated
Caucasians, she prefers Asians.
This is just the opposite situation
than in the USA!
ABC male
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 14:25:29 (PST)
yeah, this roger guy resorts to ad hominem attacks when he can't think anything better rebuttall.
dude, you're not winning any favorable opinions here by denying something that is very common knowledge in the asian american community. and again, can you honestly say that you know your neighbors' grandparents' heritage?
you should re-read other people's posts and understand what they're saying before you go out and accuse others.
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
alright, this roger guy is finally getting under my skin.
villageidiot
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 11:08:53 (PST)
Roger,
If you take the common sterotype of white people in the media, such as:
1) White people can't dance
2) White poeple can't play basketball
Then goto a clubs and courts in the city and hear white women commenting on white males "He doesn't dance like a white boy" or hear "White Boy gots game," you will begin to understand the situation for AM.
Whites are all over this country. They perpetuated the sterotype that whites can't dance or play basketball in popular media. And some whites actually believe it even though it is contrary to reality and the fact they grew up around white people.
That is the power of mass media.
AC dropout
Monday, January 21, 2002 at 10:59:25 (PST)
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