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The following is an article written by David Pierson of the Los Angeles Times, originally published May 12, 2004. It discusses the historical stereotypes and demeaning cultural images that Asian American men frequently have to confront as they try to assert their masculinity in American society.
What Do You See?
Wanting to know what the mostly Asian American class considered desirable, professor Darrell Hamamoto asked: What posters are on your bedroom walls? After an uncomfortable silence, Hamamoto got the names he expected -- celebrities such as Brad Pitt. There wasn't an Asian among them, which reinforced what he has long believed: that clichés and stereotypes about Asian men have rendered them sexual afterthoughts.
"You aren't creating your own images," the 50-year-old Japanese American told the UC Davis class. "Make your own movies. You have to take it into your own hands." Like Hamamoto, hundreds of Asian American men are writing books and poems and creating websites in hopes of redefining themselves by combating the enduring notion that they are sub-masculine. Many are offended that Asian men are projected as power players when it comes to intellectual intercourse but bystanders in the world of romance.
"Racist myths and assumptions about smaller stature -- smaller eyes -- and less sexual and erotic drive -- have stymied the development and acceptance of Asian American men as full erotic beings," writes novelist and UCLA professor Russell Leong in the foreword of On a Bed of Rice, a collection of Asian American erotic literature. Internet forums for Asians are saturated with discussion groups with titles such as "Raise Your Hand if You Love Asian Men!!" A thread on Asian American Empowerment titled "When the Asian Guy Tries Too Hard" discusses the difficulty some Asian American men have attracting non-Asians -- often considered a successful sign of crossover appeal. It registered 1,689 hits in two weeks.
Phil Yu, 25, a Korean American, was so angered by misconceptions about Asian Americans that he created a website, angry asian man, which he says receives 50,000 hits a month. A recent uproar on Yu's site erupted when Details magazine published a pictorial in its April issue titled "Asian or Gay?" Yu quickly rallied his readers by saying, "It seriously pulls out every offensive, stereotypical Asian pop culture reference imaginable, objectifying and exoticizing Asian men into a sexual stereotype."
A mid-January posting read: "Bad week for Asian men on reality TV … on the latest edition of 'The Bachelorette,' Andy [Chang] got eliminated right away. But honestly, what did you expect? Like she was going to choose the lone, token Asian guy out of that bunch?" Days after he was booted, Chang said he was disappointed he was the only bachelor that didn't get a one-on-one meeting with Meredith Phillips, the ABC show's bachelorette. After he was eliminated, he wondered what effect his ethnicity had.
"After the fact, I think it worked against me," said Chang, who beat out thousands of applicants to be on the series. Chang, a Chinese American dentist based in a Dallas suburb, says he's the antithesis of the socially inept Asian typecast. The 5-foot-11 bachelor with the athletic build was in a fraternity and never had much problem finding dates. But since he appeared on the show, the 33-year-old said meeting women has been even easier. This, despite once being told by a new patient that she thought he would look like Mr. Miyagi from "The Karate Kid."
"I may have a dental degree," he said. "Does that mean I have to look like a nerd?"
I have seen this article before, and totally agree with Hamamoto. Make your own images. No matter who you are, society is likely to have a stereotype about you.
Bald man thinks: women find baldness ridiculous and unmanly. Therefore I must get hair implants or wear a comb-over. Now who is ridiculous? Ask women, they will spool off a list of 500 hot bald men. (most often starting with Patrick Stewart although Yul Brynner is my personal bald guy idol)
Never mind the fact that stereotypes are "user dependent". Some women find AMs geeky, others strong and masculine, and yet others stereotype AMs as gentle, considerate, and honorable. The article's author writes "Will Yun Lee, 28, turns down martial arts roles because he feels they perpetuate a passionless warrior image." I disagree with Will Yun Lee. As a chick, I have never thought of martial arts or 'asian warrior' roles conferred an impression of passionless-ness. On the contrary! They always give me the impression that the Asian in question is a sexual powerhouse but 'you aint nevah gonna get it' because he's too cool and mysterious and reserved. What a tease :-)
As for Asian females being stereotyped as hyper-sexual Suzy Wongs? How about ping-pong ball shooting whores who will "make boom-boom with you long time", or mail-order brides, or man-castrating dragon ladies? Or submissive selfless geisha types?
What always cuts me is that a few Asian men still believe and internalize stereotypes about Asian men. Then you get the Angry Asian Man who says he never gets dates, and blames it all on the stereotypes of Asian men. Poor Asian Man. He's special and under-appreciated. Holy crap. There are multitudes of idiotic stereotypes about just about everybody. Black men abandon their kids, single moms must be loosers, fat people are lazy, blond girls are stupid, hispanics steal things, rednecks are inbred AND stupid, nouveau-rich have no class, white trash - self explanatory, people who lisp are mentally impaired, fast food workers must have no college education, female executives are power hungry dykes, male executives will never let women get ahead, massage therapists must do that job because they couldn't get through college, French people are snobs, and guys that style their hair must be gay. If you are half Thai and born in the 60's, your poppa must have been a GI and your momma a slut.
Given half a chance, MOST people will see the person you are if you insist on it. Yes, its nice that there are stereotype-breaking Asian men out there creating mainstream imagery that bucks the trend. But so are many of the guys on this forum. I'm all in your face when it comes to stereotypes. Thank you Mr. Hamamoto and I can't wait to see Asian guys in mainstream porn. And for anyone who read that article and thought "oh, so that's what mainstream America thinks about Asian men?" - disregard, bin it, fugeddaboudit.
̴ We are Siamese if you please! We are Siamese if you DON'T please!! ̴
The article's author writes "Will Yun Lee, 28, turns down martial arts roles because he feels they perpetuate a passionless warrior image." I disagree with Will Yun Lee. As a chick, I have never thought of martial arts or 'asian warrior' roles conferred an impression of passionless-ness. On the contrary! They always give me the impression that the Asian in question is a sexual powerhouse but 'you aint nevah gonna get it' because he's too cool and mysterious and reserved. What a tease :-)
I second this! lol
Chow Yun Fat I haven't seen get the girl very often. But I have seen a couple of American roles where Jackie gets the girl in the end. The Tuxedo and Shanghai Noon immediately come to mind. Loved the twist in The Tuxedo. Admittedly, Jackie Chan tends to not like his American work. So, meh.
I've noticed Jet Li tends to get more roles that are husbands, semi-romantic leads, etc. I blame this, in part, on the difference in appearance. He has a far more "popular" look, and appeals to a much larger base than Chan or Fat in those types of roles.
True power; the divine right to rule? Is something you're born with.
I'm not gay; you're just threatened by my superiority.
- my brother, talking with me on how men oft view formal wear
Don't forget Asian American male actors like Aaron Yoo, Masi Oka, John Cho, Kal Penn, Roger Fan, Sung Kang, James Kyson Lee, Parry Shen, Robin Shou, Daniel Dae Kim, ...
"Racist myths and assumptions about smaller stature -- smaller eyes -- and less sexual and erotic drive -- have stymied the development and acceptance of Asian American men as full erotic beings," writes novelist and UCLA professor Russell Leong in the foreword of On a Bed of Rice, a collection of Asian American erotic literature. Internet forums for Asians are saturated with discussion groups with titles such as "Raise Your Hand if You Love Asian Men!!" A thread on Asian American Empowerment titled "When the Asian Guy Tries Too Hard" discusses the difficulty some Asian American men have attracting non-Asians -- often considered a successful sign of crossover appeal. It registered 1,689 hits in two weeks.
