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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
WHY THE MEDIA BIAS AGAINST ASIANS?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:58:58 PM)
o aspect of American life angers us more relentlessly and insidiously than the way we're alternately maligned and ignored by the U.S.-based mass media. None of us could name a major film studio, publishing company or TV network -- other than perhaps PBS -- that hasn't committed these sins hundreds or even thousands of times.
The mass media's distortions of Asians and Asian Americans have been decried far too often to bear repeating here. In a nutshell, though, they center around sexualizing and cheapening Asian women while simultaneously desexualizing and dismissing Asian men. Suffice to say that instances in which the U.S.-based media portray us fairly are so rare as to draw stunned disbelief each time they are encountered.
Why this persistent assault on the culture and phenotype of a third of humanity? Some spy the heavy hand of moguls seeking economic advantage in portraying Asian competitors as inferior, and therefore, unworthy of trust, patronage or investment. Others see a conspiracy to keep down a race whose burgeoning global influence threatens in due course to overshadow that of white western peoples. A history of wars against Asian nations, sexual rivalry, economic scapegoating, xenophobia and simple ignorance are other often cited factors.
Likely, what's at work is some combination of those and other forces.
Share your hard-earned insights on the subtle and gross workings of the American mass media's apparent crusade against the Asian and Asian American image.
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
A statement can be twisted to seem racist if you are just looking to be a victim, and automatically assuming that all white-owned businesses hate Asians. Wipe that big chip off your shoulder.
blown out of proportion
"Automatically assuming that all white-owned businesses hate Asians?" Perhaps BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION describes YOU more aptly than BOYCOTT BURBERRY.
Maybe you're the one who needs to remove your Asian-hating chip off your big, ugly shoulders! And grow a brain while you're at it.
Against ignorant racists
Friday, February 14, 2003 at 10:21:05 (PST)
[129.105.104.161]
Q4U:
You mentioned that there have been companies "falsely being accused of being racist." Which ones do you mean? As we know, companies like Texaco, Enron, Abercrombie, Tommy Hilfiger--to name just a few--have been RIGHTLY accused of being racist in their hiring and attitudes towards customers. To me, the fact that Burberry has very seldom used Asian models (it at all)--despite the fact that they have had a significant Asian clientele--bodes no good. It's as though they really did think that using Asian models would confirm the image of Burberry as a "backwater brand."
In the end, of course, it's up to you the consumer. And while it's true that everyone is "innocent till proven guilty," I would prefer NOT to give the benefit of the doubt to a company that even remotely makes use of anti-Asian sentiments or allows others (i.e., Wall Street Journal) to make use of anti-Asian sentiment.
Boycott Burberry
Thursday, February 13, 2003 at 10:12:04 (PST)
[68.164.3.182]
Boycott Burberry, sorry but you've failed to convince us. A statement can be twisted to seem racist if you are just looking to be a victim, and automatically assuming that all white-owned businesses hate Asians. Wipe that big chip off your shoulder.
blown out of proportion
Thursday, February 13, 2003 at 09:11:54 (PST)
[207.183.118.61]
"It goes on to praise her for taking a "backwater brand favored by vacationing Asian tourists in need of a raincoat in London" and expanding both its customer base and product lines.
How is saying that Asian tourists in London buy Burberry coats because of the rainy weather racist?"
If you don't know the answer to that, you obviously need to learn to READ, sweetie darling.
The very fact that the writer (in this case, the Wall Street Journal) links "backwater brand" with vacationing Asian tourists is itself racist in its implications. First of all, there have always been other tourists who bought Burberry: well before Bravo's rebranding, Anglos and Mediterranean types have worn Burberry alike. As such, why single out Asians for ridicule? Why didn't the writer just say "the backwater brand favored by tourists?"
etse:
Yeah, that's assuming one even likes Burberry look to begin with. When I look at loud, tacky plaid in vomit colors, I think USED CAR SALESMAN.
Boycott Burberry
Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 11:18:52 (PST)
[68.164.229.162]
Boycott Burberry:
I couldn't find any NY Daily News article regarding Bravo or any comments relating to its Asian customers. I did a few quick google searches on combinations of "Rose Marie Bravo", "Burberry", "Asian", "tourist", "backwater", "busload", "Wall Street Journal", and "racist", and all I could come up with is the same article that is quoted in Blown Out of Proportion's post (http://www.fashionwindows.com/beauty/2002/burberry.asp). If this is all you're going on, then I'll have to agree with Blown Out of Proportion here--I think someone is reading a little too much into the quote. If you can still find the URL to that other Asian website that has more info, please let me know.
I've seen enough rumors about companies falsely being accused of being racist that I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Q4U
Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 10:47:15 (PST)
[206.208.171.1]
Health-conscious people watch what they eat, but why doesn't anybody watch what they WATCH (mentally eat)?
You feed your mind with a constant barrage of mainstream media propoganda and you can guarantee it will have a bad effect on your mental health. It's like eating burgers and pizza every meal. The media and religion are like social/mental viruses that those in power are constantly trying to infect the masses with.
I've largely abstained from TV/radio for a month now and I FELT F***ing GREAT!! I can focus more on MYSELF than the elite agenda and actually hear many of my own thoughts running thru my head instead of somebody elses.
Wake up &smell the media
Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 09:34:37 (PST)
[148.104.5.7]
Prove it....movie titles and character names you are referring to please?
------------
Are you for real? The "bias" against Asians in American mass media is no different from the "bias" against all other races in Asian mass media.
I live in China now, for example. When watching almost any Chinese movie or television series, what do I see? I see non-Chinese women sexualised and cheapened and non-Chinese men desexualised. When I watch Korean and Japanese movies I see the same thing (inserting "Korean" or "Japanese" for "Chinese" as appropriate).
Sheesh!
Michael T. Richter
disgruntled Asian
Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 17:19:20 (PST)
[129.98.126.162]
Haven't read any of the comments yet, just the blurb on the left. I feel if Asian actors/actresses would recognize how the media is debasing our ethnicity, they should turn down all roles that perpetuate / strengthen these stereotypes and take roles that either portray us accurately or in good light. Asian women would not be depicted as white man sex toys if they freggin stopped taking on these roles in films (or roles with these inuendos). Asian men would not be put down as sexless unmasculine men if Asian men stop acting like that in the media. Lastly, we need to get rid of these f'ing white bozos who come up with these stereotypical roles and put some Asian producers in Hollywood to represent us. Unfortunately media politics will probably forever keep that from happening.
disgruntled Asian
Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 17:09:57 (PST)
[129.98.126.162]
"Bravo knows a thing or two about plaid. But you could never accuse her of being square," the ever-witty Wall Street Journal quips. It goes on to praise her for taking a "backwater brand favored by vacationing Asian tourists in need of a raincoat in London" and expanding both its customer base and product lines. Burberry is now successfully hocking everything from shoes to swimwear to doggie sweaters."
I think you are overreacting. How is saying that Asian tourists in London buy Burberry coats because of the rainy weather racist?
blown out of proportion
Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 11:39:56 (PST)
[207.183.118.60]
don't boycott burberry, just wear as much fake burberry as you can then no one will buy the brand.
etse
Tuesday, February 11, 2003 at 08:53:51 (PST)
[199.173.224.2]
Q4U:
I found this quote in another Asian website. Assuming that the writer of that article was quoting the New York Daily News immediately, Bravo's remark was made sometime around late July (July 29? 2002). It could well be that Bravo was responding to the already prejudiced comments in the Wall Street Journal on Asian tourists wearing Burberry, said to be a "fashion backwater."
One can only hope that either the New York Daily News or the Asian website made a serious error in transcribing Bravo's disparaging comment. I would hate to think that a leading CEO could be not only so racist, but foolish enough to express prejudice so publicly.
However, given the racism that dogs the fashion world from modelling (underrepresentation of minorities) to marketing (i.e., think of Tommy Hilfiger; Abercrappy and Fitch; the flap over minority employment at Ralph Lauren) to fashion writing, I have little reason to doubt that there was an error. As long as there are designers who think that minorities are not worth catering to or will enjoy gratuitous racial humor, we need to be careful about the brands we wear and ultimately endorse.
As regards my own "racist" comments: I mentioned "spaghetti-swilling mafioso" for a reason. People--especially certain ethnic European-Americans--seem to forget how easy it is to make disparaging remarks about non-whites when they were once themselves victims of discrimination. Just think of the ignorant Rep. Mazzola who wanted to limit non-European immigration in the 1980s; Lee Iacocca and his Japan bashing; Frank Sinatra and "Japs", etc. Why is it "politically incorrect" to made racist remarks about blacks, Irish, Italians, Jews, but not Asians? Why is acceptable for Crap Shaq and Sarah Silvermutt to crack jokes about "ching chongs" and "chinks?" Think about it.
Boycott Burberry
Sunday, February 09, 2003 at 15:30:00 (PST)
[68.164.229.41]
It is always funny to see AM trying to lecture AFs and white males on the cruelties of the caucasian media. Talk to us, but no need to convinve anyone else.
Your AM brothers understand your pain, why you try to convince others I do not understand. I have realized in my many years experience working and going to school with whites that such efforts are hopless. You'll have better luck using a rock as a sponge.
If it makes you feel any better there are white organizations and businesses that prevent the importation and wide distribution of media that puts white males in a less then good image. Example, several years back India produced a film documenting the expulsion of Europeans from India. This Historical film was band in the European and American market.
So whites are sensitive and they do realize the damaging effects of media. But, the average white Joe don't know this. A PBS special on this topic revealed that white media and its brain washing effects are rooted in the US government. Everything is carefully engineered, there are no accidents.
This is what you say to people that are heavily effected by the white media
"Wow whites are so beautiful"
"I wish asians could be so stylish and good looking"
etc...
Get them on a tolerable level most times so you can work and go to school in semi peace. =)
zommboid
password
Saturday, February 08, 2003 at 11:02:03 (PST)
[24.90.172.214]
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