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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Are AA Women the Real Victims of Prejudice?
sian women get a free ride at the expense of Asian men. That's the received wisdom here in the U.S. This belief appears premised on the suspicion that American society sees Asian women as sexy exotics in need of rescuing from the cold clutches of Asian men who don't know how to smile except evilly.
The real victim?
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Credit Hollywood for its tireless casting of Asian women as sexual accessories to white heroes while suppressing the very existence of Asian men except as unsavory paper tigers. Credit too the TV networks that uncover bevies of talking Asian women but rarely their male counterparts.
In fairness this media fantasy of the Asian race was partly inspired by recent history. Devastated and impoverished Asian nations sent tens of thousands of war brides and orphans, followed by several million desperate immigrants willing to hock their identities while toiling to build new lives.
Male-dominated societies toast new women as exotic sexual prospects while suppressing new men as an exploitable lower class or even enemy aliens. The women get all the breaks and the men get all the lumps. Even worse, the women have their heads turned and adopt a scornful attitude toward their own men. So goes the complaint of some AA men.
The women have a different take. Sexual predators bearing insulting stereotypes must be fended off while coping with women who see them as unfair competitors. Add to that the pain of being scorned as sellouts by AA men for no more reason than their apparent welcome by American society. Worst of all, complain AA women, is being begrudged the right to take simple pleasure in their own identities. How much easier just to face straightforward racial prejudice!
Do Asian women really have an easier time in America? Or do they suffer from the double-whammy of insulting stereotypes from non-Asians and unfair persecution from Asian men?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:55 AM)
Asian Male,
"...compare the suffering of one group to the other...is kind of pointless..."
Is that the only thing you got out of Asian Female Perspective's post??????? You think she was just comparing??????
OH GEEZ!!!
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 02:30:09 (PDT)
Dear Insecure Girl,
God, I completely understand. I feel that same way, especially when I was younger. I never did get over what you described. What I did do was learn a lot about race and racism in college and that gave me a lot of insight. So now I still feel the way you described yet, simultaneously, feel pissed about the causes. Today, I'm trying to re-channel all that anger into something positive...
You know, there are countless postings by Asian men all over the Internet--in this website and others--who claim that Asian women are "arrogant, conceited," and that we "think we're superior." Yet, what I feel is insecure, inferior, humble, and ugly. I don't understand where all these Asian guys get this idea from. It's not how I feel. And I don't think it's how most AF feel.
To everyone:
Are those men getting the false impression that we are now conceited b/c of the *few* sexy depictions of us in the media? If so, don't worry. The countless depictions of us as frumpy still controls, leaving me to continually feel insecure.
I share your feelings
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 02:26:15 (PDT)
WF wrote: "whites make up the majority in the U.S...[so] catering to their tastes is inevitable."
That statement is NOT completely true. Non-Jew whites (WASPs and Celtics) make up the majority in the U.S. Yet Jews are over-represented in the media. White audiences are catered to only in a LIMITED way. The audience don't get to see everything they hate. Only certain things. And only RACES that are "less powerful" get BASHED. Catering to the tastes of white people would mean that there should be more AngloMale-AngloFemale coupling in the media. But instead, there are TONS of JewMale-AngloFemale pairings(b/c that's what Jewish men want--Anglo women). Don't you think this pairing would piss off the Anglo and Aryan men???? Of course it does. But it still goes on.
Yes, market forces is ONE factor. Another factor is that the media's ideas are a direct reflection of the racism, biases, prejudices, selfishness of the people who own the media.
I know, I know, I know. Now I'll get "oh you're bashing Jews now. you're a racist yourself." And i'm NOT!!! I'm pointing this out as evidence that the excuse "catering to the audience" is a FALSE, MISLEADING one. It's just an excuse so they can keep cranking out the crap that they want to crank out.
Think about it, wouldn't many Aryans in this country love to see Jews bashed?? Yet, we don't see that in the media. If your suggestion is truly correct, wouldn't the media moguls want to profit from that? But we don't see that, do we. It's b/c the Jew executives censure it! And instead the Jew execs portray Nazis and KKKs as a bunch of ignorant trash.
Somebody in this website wrote about the different trite excuses that HOllywood giants use to explain away their racism. It was really good. Maybe you should read it. Or were you the one who told him off calling him a racist....
Catering to the majority is a trite excuse
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 01:56:58 (PDT)
Asian Female Perspective: Your post makes so much sense. I couldn't have said it better. Thanks for sharing and please stick around.
Asian Male: you proved her point. She said it's all relative. You see it as "grossly unfair." But what she's saying is that the grass isn't all THAT greener on this side--and you're saying hell yah it is!.
I don't think she's trying to make it sound like either group--Asian women or Asian men--have it better or worse. She's just saying it isn't heaven here on this side like some Asian men exaggerate it to be.
please re-read her post
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 00:37:38 (PDT)
WF,
i don't agree with your post that it's all about money and catering to the majority. Jews are a small minority in this country yet their views are over-represented in the media. (of course, they own most of the media that's why.) You just don't see Jews being bashed in the media.
Lots of Aryans hate Jews in this country yet Jewish actors are in countless shows, leading roles, etc. Aren't the media moguls interested in catering to the anglo whites (the majority) to bash Jews? NO!!!
this debunks your entire theory!!
market forces aint the whole reason
Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 00:28:49 (PDT)
Asian Female Perspective
Hollywood Portrayal: "For instance, there is a current commercial on MTV where a young, shapely blonde gives a business lecture to a middle-aged, unattractive Asian woman. It is a five-minute clip and the Asian woman is made out to look ridiculous in contrast to the "smart blonde.""
Reality: Asian women perform better in academics and even in business, if you include all the Asian owned businesses in this country.
Hollywood Protrayal: "One of their shows, "Strong Medicine," has female doctors of all races -- except Asian. Asian women appear in that show only as patients and people with problems that the white female doctors "fix.""
Reality: Proportion to the population there are more Asian women doctors than white women doctors and as far as I know none of them have been sued for malpractice whereas white female doctors have been sued.
Hollywood Portrayal: "Moreover, in "Gilmore Girls," Rory (a white female protagonist) is constantly depicted as smarter than every girl around her -- including her Korean gal-friend who regularly spouts "I hate math; I'm not cut out for science" and the like. These are only a few examples."
Reality: As per national statistics Korean girls are among the top math achievers. In fact Asian women perform better in math than any other race of women. In the colleges, at the graduate level, most women in math and sciences are Asian or Asian in origin. There are very few white women. Most whites cannot perform multiplication and division without a calculator. This is definitely a gross misrepresentation of reality by Hollywood.
Perhaps Hollywood needs a dose of reality.
Researcher
Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 16:59:24 (PDT)
Dear Asian-American History Educated,
Rest assured there is no hate in my previous post. Your inference on that matter is incorrect. Do remember that you started with the accusations and I'm just responding in kind. With that said, I'll move on.
What else do I know about Asian-American history, besides what they teach in public schools or in Western Civ class? Not a dang thing! I have no problem admitting it because it hasn't been relevent to me. However, I will admit to being interested, lately.
A question to you: Are all Asian- Americans familiar with their Asian history in the U.S. and Asian-American development in this country over the past 350 years? Besides what they teach in school, of course.
I bet the answer is no, and if you say yes I'll be sure to find some to prove you wrong.
You can take pot shots at my education all you want, because you don't offend me in the least. And come on, we both know that's what you were doing. Just admit it and I'll love you for it...promise.
Now, let us discuss my ability to form a cogent thought. Do I really need to share your ideal of what the basic, fundimental information and materials are to have an opinion on this matter? I don't think so. So you know more about Asian-American history and development then I do...no need to rub it in.
I know more about what it's like to be white then you do, and let me tell you, the bill collector doesn't care what color you are. Being white isn't all some people think it's cracked up to be. It can suck on this end too, you know--not that I'm complaining. Okay, this last part wasn't relevant but I'd thought I'd throw it in anyway just for you. My groveling might sweeten you up.
Now all this started because I dared to inform some Asian females that not all white females found them to be inferior and not our equals, and threw in a few opinions on economics. I still adhere to this opinion dispite the fact that I don't know a lot about their history and development--them being Asian-American and all.
Personnally, I don't dislike you even though I find you to be a little narrow-minded--despite the fact you so arrogantly insult me. (And yes, I'm still waiting for you to admit it!)
I think you and I should get together and have a drink...well, proximity might be a problem. You'd be tons of fun to argue with--not argue argue, but debate argue. Heck, we might even become friends:)
Just a little thought for your benefit, since I feel you might be worth it.
Oh yeah, feel free to scrap--in a friendly sort of way-- with me agian if you like. I'm friendly.
WF aka DD
Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 13:05:15 (PDT)
WF:
In general, I can agree with your economics argument. It is true that corporations and media ads will target ethnic groups b/c of demographics, i.e. they will go where the money is. However, ideological biases and prejudices still exist. Why did Abercrombie & Fitch market those Oriental shirts? B/c they thought that As Ams would find it amusing. Obviously, they knew a market was there, but they were WAY off base in terms of the decisions they made about how to go about it. So to me, it's more complex than simply what goes on the cover is what sells. There are other, more subtle factors that need to be taken into account, and that are reflected in distorted corporate decisions. I think that to chalk it all up to dollars and cents is the convenient "bottom line," but simplifies the issue of adequate and fair representation of As Ams in the media by putting everything under economics.
AM2
Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 06:39:38 (PDT)
WF:
The idea here is discussion, dialogue, sharing of perspectives, information, and insight. Although I can understand your passion, take it easy with the hate part of your feelings.
A question: aside from your knowledge of Asian Coolies working on the intercontinental railroads, what else do you know about Asian-American history, and specifically about Asian-American development for the last 350 years in the U.S.?
What's lacking here, on your part, is the basic, fundamental information and materials to form a cogent thought. I am sure it's not your fault, since you have not been educated... in that way, I mean.
You can scrape from the bottom of the barrel to form a perspective, but without the basics, we can't really have dialogue, since we are at different levels.
You can learn so much from Asian Female Perspective. Then again, the real question is, do you want to learn? And what do you think you know about market mechanics that are related to social/racial development???
Just a little thought for your benefit, since I feel that you might be worth it.
Asian-American History Educated
Monday, May 20, 2002 at 14:25:55 (PDT)
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