You can turn on the news in virtually every major market and see an Asian woman anchor. The same can be said for blondes.

For most American men, Asian women are exotics, just as blonde women are to the dark-haired men who have always made up the majority of American men.

Actors like Lucy Liu enjoy the status of sex symbols based on a sexual mystique ascribed to Asian females, much in the way that blonde actresses were seen in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Asian women are often associated with high socioeconomic status due to their education and upper-middle-class economic prospects -- just like blondes.

Asian women must put up with insulting stereotypes that tend to hypersexualize them -- just like blondes.

Are Asian women the new blondes in American society?

Based on my experience I believe that is the currently trend. I have met my fare share of cute bubbly asian girls that have vaccuums for brains. Sad but true, since the media has made them desirable, AF have decided they don't need a brain.

Hey, watch your mouth. Insulting AFs in this place is bound to get you in deep trouble.

MLK

All the blonde asian sisters know I say it with love and not hate.

How many blonde AF sistas do you know? Ten? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Dang, we're all over the place, aren't we?

Well, we love you too.

I'd have to disagree most with Ed's 4th paragraph:

_____________________________________________________________________
Asian women are often associated with high socioeconomic status due to their education and upper-middle-class economic prospects -- just like blondes.
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When were blondes associated with all that?????? There are just as many air-headed, uneducated, redneck, whitetrash blondes. Blondes are just seen as being sex-symbols. And you can't compare Asian women to blondes because Asian women don't hold that airheaded stigma like blondes do.

Krazy,

Have you dated an Asian girl lately. They are getting more and more airheaded these days. Trust me I know.

MLK,

Just you babes. #1 asian blonde in the house.

Actually, it's not just Asian Women and Blondes that are dumbdowned, but the whole American mainstream in general. I guess being rich, lazy or too comfortable in your own skin makes you dumb. Why are Whites for the most part dumb? Why have Jews gone soft and are no longer driven? Why do Blacks rant the same old tire racial rhetoric without a purpose? Why are many Asian Women just plain stupid alpha girls? For this being said, the tables should be turning for Asian Men. They should have all the advantages now, being the geeks and strivers they are, they shouldn't have any problems being successful and dominating all sorts of things in America. Hardwork does pay off at the end of the day, just as China will eventually outcompete this country in a heartbeat. I guess the rabbit fell asleep during the middle of the race for supremacy with the tortoise.

Some AW seem to make concerted attempts to sound less intelligent, informed, and less aware. It may be incendiary to say, but some AM do seem to respond nicely to the ladies who come off as vacuous and "impressionable." A few enjoy matching wits with lucid and articulate AW but romantically tend towards flirtatious, coy types who are less comfortable engaging their intellectual assets over physical ones. Many sharp AW do not unintentionally want to usurp an AM's dominant position in the friendship or relationship. It's a pity particularly after the initial excitement of a new relationship settles, many AMs are left with women who may be highly intellectual but unused to the personal evolution required to keep a relationship inspired and real.

bumble b: isn't it dangerous to overgeneralize ? Those may have been genuine observations in you own personal experience - it would be more safe to say that many men tend to prefer to romance women who are more coy and sexy rather than just intellectually stimulating. Actually those definitions don't have to be mutually exclusive either right? Plenty of coy flirtatious women have real substance beneath all the fun and games... Women can play that sexy fox initially then afterwards reveal more aspects of themselves as their relationships unfold. Also, the whole dumb sexy-blonde stereotype can be summed up in something like the Baywatch TV series - Asian women seem to be regarded as far more intelligent... Women in general have to fight stereotypes that they can be 'easy' or are merely sex objects, that is if they resent that label j/k. some guys - of all races - find sophisticated women to be a little too challenging and get intimidated. Not all men like women who are easy as in good looking but stupid.

Didn't mean to overgeneralize. There are a good variety of men who enjoy substantive women. Whether substantive women feel comfortable--at ease really, to appeal to AMs via intellect and humor without an overreliance on coy flirtations is hard to gauge. Some AW are simply not comfortable being "smart" in the presence of others when, in reality, they are truly bright and desire engaging conversation before mindless chitchat. The vacuous AW puts other AW at a true disadvantage within the workplace, among peers, among men who tire easily of impassive but silly, materialistic Asian girls.

...and sometimes, just sometimes--bright & smart AFs act dumb because there may be a really good reason to. It's not always smart to act smart all the time. Also, it can only work one way and not the oposite; ergo, an intelligent woman can act dumb, but a dumb woman cannot act intelligent.

That's not true. I know plenty of dumb people that try to act smart all the time. In fact, I find them to be the majority of people I encounter.

I think bumble-b and MLK hit on something, which affects not only AA women, but women in general, especially in an open modern society.

With the increasing numbers of women in the workforce, in higher education, and in professional executive positions, we have an unprecedented social dynamic where women have increased their power in terms of earnings and personal independence.

However, due to the fact that societal attitudes adjust more slowly than societal trends, we have many people raised in a patriarchical culture where women were supposed to be subservient to their husbands and such. Many men thus feel intimidated by a woman who is clearly his intellectual superior, and shy away from such women.

This could explain why otherwise smart women tend to play down their mental gifts, or pretend to act completely airheaded.

Basin,

Let's not confuse women mental ability with corporate "sleeping to the top" behavior.
It not an act they are airheaded.

Look at all the top women today.

Hillary Clinton. Slept her way to the top.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Slept her way to the top.
Lucy Liu. Slept her way to the top.

The list goes on and on.

I will be the first AM to admit, AF are sort of dixy, sexy, and airheaded.
It's not an act, trust me I know.

AC,

The three women you cited may have slept their way to the top, but they also had to have the cunning and smarts to manipulate the men who helped them get there. Your average dumb, ditzy, mentally vacuous woman would just be getting on her back again and again for the wrong men and get nowhere.

Basin,

Just because they spread their legs for the right man, doesn't make them any smarter.
They would have slept with the other guy if they didn't get Mr. Right. There is no credit for being luck of the draw.

Just admit it to yourself AF are silly and unfortunately airheaded these days. You'll feel a lot better afterwards instead of making excuses for them.

AC,

You've done it! I've tried for...years and years(!)..but there's no denying it...AA women are turning into the new blondes! Noooo!

Ah, there, I feel all better now!

Q: How many AA women does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Like, Duh! That's what flashlights are for!

Basin,

Now you see the light.

Q: What do you call an asian female with brunette hair
A: Artificial Intelligence.

Q: What do you call an asian female with Blonde hair
A: A Natural.

See all better now.

AC

Really now. I know some AFs who could make you eat your words, one letter at a time, as you crawl to them on bended knees with gratitude in your eyes.

Oh...and speaking of sleeping their way to the top...it takes two to do that activity...and the guy being slept on is just as guilty of airheadedness and thinking with the wrong head kind of thing. Don't tell me none of you guys have ever been guilty of that sin...thinking with the wrong head.

MLK,

That sounds kinky, and would fall under the category of sleeping to the top for those AF. Even painted in a corner the first thing that comes into an AF mind is how to sleep to the top again. You see my point.

Yes, but those guys worked their way up the corporate ladder. Those girls are just latching onto the guys sucess. Using sexual favors to move up the corporate structure without adding value to the company.

Just look at my 3 examples what have any of those women done to significantly contribute to their field in US politics, Philippine politics, or the US movie industry.

However, women to also make bad judgement in the heat of passion. Just look to abortion rates.

Male or female, people who make it to the top do so less on merit than through carefully molded relationships. The boys' club is, by nature, exclusive to females. It's possible that many women, in defiance, offer themselves in exchange for promotions and better pay to spite the hegemony of the boys' club.

In addition, many a CEOs have made their way up the ladder using male wiles--compliments, casual or overt flirting with female co-workers, commiserating with the execs on married life, toasting another martini when he'd rather be lounging in boxer shorts eating fried chicken in front of a large screen TV. In the past, there was an undue emphasis on breadwinning as reinforcement for the so-called successful male. Today, there is an increasing emphasis on women to bring the bacon home (not to mention cleaning it after she sheds her corporate suit). More frequently, women are embracing shortcuts because they observe men doing so in order to obtain positions of influence.

QUOTE

In the past, there was an undue emphasis on breadwinning as reinforcement for the so-called successful male. Today, there is an increasing emphasis on women to bring the bacon home (not to mention cleaning it after she sheds her corporate suit). More frequently, women are embracing shortcuts because they observe men doing so in order to obtain positions of influence.

Actually, the expectation for the roles of male and female in a household have kind of overlapped.

Not only are men now expected to be a primary wage earner, they are expected to be as much a "mommy" figure to the kids as mothers are. In years past, no one ever villified a man for spending too much time away from the kids, but now it is thought of as being a neglectful parent if you don't cut your workday short ot attend your kid's soccer game.

Women now, as you have stated, are expected to be not only a good mother and wife, but breadwinner as well.

However, based on my own anecdotal experiences, the traditional roles are still well ingrained into the minds of many people I know. I've seen quite a few couples who were DINKs (Double Income, No Kids), and when they started the kid breeding, mommy stayed home and dad worked more hours or looked to another income source. This was even true of the couples where the woman was making more than the man. Of course, your own experience may vary, but that is my own.

Men have incurred more responsibility for the children as dual income households became a mainstay. The onus of a family's fiscal health no longer solely impinges on fathers just as parenting and nurturance are no longer circumscribed to mothers. Though it almost seems too formulaic to set both mother and father in parallel positions of breadwinner and nurturer, what can couples do aside from drifting further apart from the external and internal stress of family life? Traditional gender roles limited women from utilizing their education outside the sphere of domesticity causing an emotional rift between husband and wife. In a more positive light, couples today seem to be moving towards a friendship, a partnership that can strengthen the relationship as time moves on.

On the villification of fathers who miss soccer practice, time is scarce and yes parents are tired...but try a lateral observation of a child who has reaped the benefits of positive affect from mother-father as opposed to one whose mother has traditionally supported the child's activities. Paternal support, affection, and approval is inestimable for both sons and daughters. An equilibrium is set when a child observes and respects both parents for their contributions to their work and committment to their families. Time seems to be the enemy. Perhaps we should move towards a more Euro-centric workflow?

bumble-b,

It has been from my observation that many asian couple (DINK) get nannies and housekeeper once it is time to raise a family. This allows them the spare time to be both income provider and parent without needing to spend extra time doing the mundane chores of keeping a household running.

I don't think America will be moving toward a Euro-centric socialist work force anytime soon. We can't even get socialize medicine here. Forget mandatory 8 week vacations.

I do concur on your point that a lot of socializing on the male corporate employee part is necessary to climb the corporate ladder. However, there are relative few instances of men "sleeping to the top" as compare to women in the work force.

Hello, everyone. I haven't been around much...been busy with life.

Just wanted to add my two cents. Sometimes Asian women get stereotyped as socially less intelligent--like blondes--but they are also stereotyped as being very booksmart, which is contrary to the stereotype of the dumb blonde.

But good point. I think there are certain parallels.

Rob

But what about the blonde who's also Asian? Does she get to choose whether she wants to be booksmart or looksmart? And can she decide whether or not to adopt the image of standing on top of a sewage grate with her skirt flying, or is that one a given? How about the Betty Boop image? She's not really a blonde, but I don't see much difference between her image and that of a blonde ditz.


AC

Sleeping to the top. hmmmm...the good ole boys group would be much easier to join, I think, if the women all had sex change operations and tried to be a man. No need then for sleeping to the top! We could then do what the men do...fraternize and play golf and I scratch your back you scratch mine!

MLK,
Are Asian girls who dye their hair blonde stereotyped differently from those who don't? I actually don't know many blonde Asians, so it's hard for me to say anything constructive about that. I do think that Asians, even those who dye their hair blonde, have more of an "exotic" stereotype than regular ole' white blonde American women.

Blonde Asian women are looked upon as slightly trashy and a complete Asian sellout. They are sometimes grouped into the category of druggie, vagabond, morally-loose, un-cultured, non-fluent, uneducated, ignorant, low-class, typical fashion-plate wanna-be.

The desirable look for the upscale, young, well-educated, classy socialite, is the more traditional Asian female look without the blonde dye-job. The only 'exotic' part about a blonde Asian woman (in the eyes of other Asian) is how un-Asian she's trying to be, as if she's ashamed of being Asian.

I tell you--It's exhausting to have to defend the color of one's hair all the time. Easier just to dye it back and regain your place in society as a normal human being.

MLK,

What you are suggesting is that homosexual and transvestites be treated on equal footing as straights in coorporate society. Oh that's quite funny. Queers are even in a worst situation than your average af.

As for AF that get hair color treatment. I think it depends on the shades. Mainstream asian society can tolerate the "tea bag" highlights. But once you stray into the yellows and pure reds...that's it your standing is lower than that of a crud on the bottom of a bubble tea cup.

MLK,

So if it sucks so much to be a blonde asian woman, than why do you do it?

AC

hehehe...deliberately misreading me so you can add that pun about homosexuals, eh? Trying to get out of the closet, are we? You have my permission to do so.


AM guy

It sucks but somebody's gotta do it. And haven't I always been the stereotype destroyer? I wouldn't have it any other way than to thumb my nose at accepted standards for this or that. My goal is to far exceed recommended standards, but to do it MY WAY irregardless of what society preaches as acceptable. I mean, how fun would it be to exceed in life as an AF, looking like your typical AF? That would be far too stereotypical, and even you AM guys wouldn't appreciate that, now, would you?

MLK,

You deliberately alluded to the alternative lifestyle that I justly made a comment about. Hence, it is you who acted with ethical misconduct in order to entrap an innocent poster like myself.

In the closet?!? oh please, been there, done that.

I'm sure a blond like yourself has plenty of story of being in the closet..... muuhahaha.

AC

Closets are, for me, the spaces and places with which to store the trappings and strappings of my daily life...shoes and ships and sealing wax, you see, need a place to reside, and since I tend to clutter up my home with trinkets and tokens and tinker toys, closets are a necessity for my accessories of life. Now, as far as any aberations on my love life is concerned, I tend to be a show-off, so I'm not against parading any cabagges or kings around, provide he's a good enough cabagge (or king) to show off. Get it?

You collect cabbage patch kids to parade around. That's really sick.
In the closet cabbage patch plushie lover.

AC and MLK,

See you two bicker like this is just so cute. So much flirting going on between you two. You just know you're going to hook up one of these days have have many many blonde babies.

asian_am_guy,

No no blonde babies. I will shave their heads like a Budda monk.

In this story she is-the-best-friend-that-yearns-for-an-AM-soul-mate. I play the role of the cluless-guy-that-tells-his-best-friend-about-other-female-interest. The best you could hope for is a date-that-is-not-really-a-date-date-because-I-was-rejected-by-my-other-female-interest-and-had-an-extra-ticket-to-a-movie-which-none-of-my-guy-friends-wanted-to-see. Of course I will just babble-on-about-the-female-interest-that-really-doesn't-relate-with-me-to-my-best-friend-on-this-date-which-is-not-a-date-date. My best-friend-will-of-course-support-my-decision-while-yearning-for-her-AM-soulmate.

I'm sure you've seen this movie before.

AC,

I don't know about that. I think this is more like the Lady and the Tramp scenario. You two act like you can't stand each other, but deep down inside, you really have a secret yearning to be with each other until eventually, you can't hold back the tension anymore and you just have to "do the nasty" otherwise, you'll explode.

asian_am_guy,

I take offense to you calling me a "Lady"

How could you suggest that MLK and myself "do the nasty." We are above all that, it would be very clean and civilized, like a Victorian novel. And definitely no exploding go on. MLK is adverse to pain in the bedroom as she puts it.

Look who's bickering now? You two are soooo cute, I think you would make a dahrlin' couple! hehehe

Me & AC go back a loooong way...hey, remember the Christmas poem you wrote to me AC? I wish I can find it now. It would be appropriate to post at this time, since it's Christmas.

And yes, we're both fully functional and upwardly-outwardly mobile adults. If we had wanted to hook up, we'd a done it a long long time ago, but I think a special friendship is far far more valuable to me than a quickie relationship based on nothing but a sexual high. That gets old quick, and then the friendship dies, and that would be a shame to have happen. Besides, I don't think I'm AC's type. I'm too brassy and too blonde. My bombastic nature would eventually drive him insane...not that he's not really close to that edge already. Anyway, I can honestly say that AC is my best friend here on Goldsea, and probably in real life too, if we ever should get the chance to meet. Right, AC?

Now now I really must protest.
To set the record straight I never had a "quickie" nor a "no show" nor a "hair pin trigger"

Talking about the sex on the internet...what it the world coming to.
All this peer preasure to hook up....
Makes me want to find some lonely inflatible farm animals for the holidays.

MLK and AC,

Do I smell love in the air??? I THINK SO!!!

I can just see it now...dan dan da dan....dan dan da dan...I hear wedding bells chiming....I predict.....6 kids. 3 boys, 3 girls...all the girls will be blonde, and all the boys will be...smart asses.

Ahh...isn't love just so romatic!!! I think I'm going to cry!!!

asian_am_guy,

Always the Oakland people causing trouble. Why don't you date MLK in my place since you're closer?
I'm still in search of my inflatible farm animal.

Ain't life sweet for a blonde?!? Two guys, pushing back and forth, 'no, you!', 'no, I insist, you!'.

How's bout none of you? I like my men decisive and non-blow-up-farm-animal-lover, thanks.

Hey, the invitation's always open! Ain't no party like an Oaktown party, that's what I always say...

You know AC, one of these days, when you come out to the Bay, we should all finally meet up. I think it'd be interesting to finally put a face to all of the..."intellectual" posts of yours.

And MLK, what do you have against inflatable farm animals? There's nothing as romantic as seducing a blow up cow or duck. Ooooo....soooooo sensual!!!

AAGuy

Good luck with trying to find the elusive face of the infamous AC Dropout. I've been trying for years. Still have no clue what he looks like. I'm starting to think he's a figment of our imagination, and the clever invention of the chat bots! Well, you know what I look like. I have nothing to hide. But what do you look like?


AC

One of these days, I'm just going to fly out to NYC and hunt you down just to shake your hand and say 'hi!'. Scared?

asian_am_guy,

Thanks for the invite. If I'm ever out in the Bay area agian with some spare time. I give a shout out and we can kick it.

MLK,

Are you sure that is the only part of my body you want to shake and get giggy with...

AC,

Those were my same exact thoughts. I think MLK is manifesting a bit too much attraction to your "hand".

MLK and AC,

Here's a picture of my from my Church's website:

http://www.cfcberkeley.org/english/community/tony.html

I just found out that my testimony was posted (personally, I think they made me look a little fatter than I normally am). Yes, I'm Christian, but I'm not "one of those" Christians, if you know what I mean.

asian_am_guy,

Oh you're not one of those fat Christians. I see. Nothing like a fat Christian to make God look bad.

I once gave a testimonal at Church. Then when through my rambling was getting boring I decided to spice up the story with an exaggerated tale of how the pastor molested me and how I had pre-marital sex with various member of the youth group. As you can see I was not invited every again to recount my Christian experiences with the congregation ever again.