Asian-American Stereotypes

Introduction As an Asian-American, I have experienced the Model-Minority stereotypes firsthand. During my time in education, many, whether it be my teachers, my peers, complete strangers, or my family, I was expected to be a good student, to be good in Math, to listen to authority, and to be successful. As I grew older, I started to have a different perspective of the stereotypes. I saw the effects the stereotypes would have on my siblings and, in turn, they would give us younger siblings advice based on their experiences. So, us younger siblings would have a different outlook on our futures and who we are as Asian-Americans. With this new perspective, when talking to Asian-Americans who were younger than me, I noticed that they would want
In fact, stereotypes for Asian-Americans initially were negative. However, one can see a connection between the stereotypes then and the current stereotypes. When Chinese Laborers first immigrated to work in the California Gold Mines in the 1800’s, stereotypes included: “Starving Masses”, “Beasts of Burden”, “Depraved Heathens”, and “Opium Addicts” (Abreu, Ramirez, Kim, & Haddy, 2003). In the 20th century, mainly in World War 2, different stereotypes started to emerge. For example, in World War 2, there was an assumption that Japanese-Americans would still be loyal to the then current Japanese Emperor. This assumption probably stemmed from the attacks on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941, leading to the internment of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast (Abreu, Ramirez, Kim, & Haddy, 2003). The Model-Minority stereotypes did not begin appearing until the 1960’s when writers began to use the term to describe Asian-Americans (Abreu, Ramirez, Kim, & Haddy, 2003). The Model-Minority stereotypes were created by a basic understanding of Asian traditions. Behaviors, such as respecting authority, assimilating well, and working hard, are major parts of the Asian culture. However, to assume that such behaviors are the only parts of Asian culture and that they are essential is much too simple to accurately describe the Asian identity (Chou, 2008). In fact, Chou finds that these stereotypes are founded upon a myth that
Asian American meta-stereotypes carry varying connotations of respect as well as resentment. Kwan’s and Chu’s study Asian American meta-stereotypes have two effects: “Relative Valorization” and “Civic Ostracism”. The purpose of “Relative Valorization” is to give a high social position to Asian Americans relative to other ethnic minorities, but still in a lower social position than European Americans. This seems positive, since now Asian Americans are seen as more equal to European Americans. However, this assumption is not an in depth analysis of the effect on the Asian-American community. In fact, Relative Valorization actually has a deeper negative effect. Relative Valorization insinuates that Asian Americans are still not equal to European Americans, but also higher than other ethnic minorities, creating a unique position where Asian Americans are unable to relate to neither European Americans nor other ethnic minorities. This position is further exacerbated with “Civic Ostracism”, in which Asian Americans are perpetually seen as different and foreign. Jean Wing claims, in her journal, Beyond Black and White: The Model Minority Myth and the Invisibility of Asian American Students, that the Model Minority Myth is merely a tool in order