Priscilla Huang is the Policy and Programs Director at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.
It’s Asian-Pacific American History Month, so I’m going to this as an opportunity to celebrate the history of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women. API women started making history a long time ago. In fact, the United States’ first immigration law targeted Asian women—particularly Chinese women—with the enactment of the Page Law of 1875. (Note: The Page Law pre-dated the notorious Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the law that most immigration scholars consider the “first� U.S. immigration law.) Facially, the law prohibited the entry of Chinese prostitutes. In practice, the law acted to prevent most “Oriental� women from immigrating to the U.S. The law presumed that all Asian women seeking entry to the U.S. were prostitutes unless the woman could “prove� to immigration officials that she was not. You can imagine how many Asian women were actually certified and allowed into the U.S. (Answer: About 60 women per year.)
Unfortunately, the struggles of API women are still being minimized 133 years later. At NAPAWF, I constantly run into the problem of trying to advocate for a group of women that is often left out of the larger feminist picture. API women (and men) are plagued by the “model minority� myth. From an advocate’s perspective, this is problematic because it creates the impression that all Asian Americans are wealthy, educated, and healthy. The myth dismisses the reproductive health disparities that Asian and Pacific Islander women suffer, and masks the many barriers that we encounter when accessing reproductive and sexual health care. It also allows mainstream health providers and researchers to ignore the needs of API women and devote less resources and services to our community.
Yet, API women constitute the ONLY racial group that is underrepresented in reproductive health research. Less than 2% of published reproductive and sexual health articles include data on API women. Even so, these limited research findings have revealed some alarming facts:
- Between 1994-2000, abortion rates decreased for all racial groups except API women
- API women have the second highest rate of pregnancies that end in abortion, at 35%
- Less than 40% of API women use regular contraceptive methods, way lower than the national average of 88%
- 36% of API women under the age of 65 lack health insurance
- 54% of Korean American women have never received a Pap smear
- A study of Chinese American women in California revealed that 69% had no understanding of mammograms
- Vietnamese-American women have cervical cancer rates 5 times higher than non-Hispanic white women (the highest in the country)
(All of these stats are available in NAPAWF’s fact sheets and issue briefs.)
API women also face a number of sexualized racist stereotypes that reflect negatively on our health and sexualities and compound the problem of the model minority myth. API women are seen as docile and compliant, which makes us seem like ideal victims for sexual domination. We are also seen as hypersexual and exotic, a myth that fuels “oriental massage parlor� jokes and the frequent commodification of API women’s bodies in the mainstream media, the lucrative mail order bride industry, and in pornographic representations. These are the same misconceptions that gave rise to the Page Law and today’s dating trend—the Asian fetish. P.S.—If you’re never heard of Asian fetishism (also known as “yellow fever�) or doubt its prevalence, check this out. It’s so widespread, there are even “how to� books. Gross.
Clearly, we’ve got issues. It’s time to debunk stereotypes, and make API women’s history.
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Wow, those stats are really scary. I'm excited to learn more about the organization throughout the week, though.
oh my lord, that "yellow fever" article (link at the end of Priscilla's post) was so horrible! I had no idea it was this bad!
"Gwen Stefani used Asians to underscore and dress up her solo career. While promoting her Love, Angel, Music, Baby album, she was attended constantly by four mute Japanese schoolgirls she re-named “Love,� “Angel,� “Music� and “Baby.� Stefani called them her Harajuku girls, taking that name from a particularly hip and fashionable Tokyo district."
I remember how last year Craigslist New York had this incredibly drawn-out racismfest that started by people asking which races of each gender were best and worst to date. A bazillion white men wrote in explaining why they liked Asian women best (they're all submissive, skinny, gorgeous, blah blah blah). And some Asian women wrote in that they liked white guys (I think it was because of their money). But of course every post was freakish, whether it was people liking to date a particular race or disliking a particular race. I get a feeling, though, that many people have some kind of "preference" that probably comes from the fact that our society is so segregated so we can exoticize people we don't know anything about, and never get to know them beyond the stereotypes.
Long time lurker here, but I had to comment and say THANK YOU for posting this. Besides just being happy at seeing API women represented in feminist communities, I am practically in tears over the "Yellow Fever" article because I have been searching for so long for some kind of articulation of the frustration I feel at that kind of behavior from white men. I'm hapa and my current boyfriend is the first guy who has ever been interested in me (white or Asian) that hasn't had a schoolgirl fetish. What really infuriates me is that there's so much commentary surrounding the subject from white men ("It has nothing to do with submissiveness, I just like long black hair and size-AA breasts!), Asian men ("Those Asian women are just sluts and sellouts anyway!"), and even white feminists, but NOTHING from the Asian women who are the subject of it all. One of my secret dreams is to write a book critiquing that particular stereotype, but it's frustrating when there's no previous work to build upon.
On a happier note, though, my boyfriend's roommate (who is a rad Filipina feminist) saw those statistics and ended up organizing a reproductive rights workshop for API women at our university. It was pretty awesome.
"What really infuriates me is that there's so much commentary surrounding the subject from white men ('It has nothing to do with submissiveness, I just like long black hair and size-AA breasts!), Asian men ('Those Asian women are just sluts and sellouts anyway!'), and even white feminists, but NOTHING from the Asian women who are the subject of it all."
Yeah, where's the formal and published commentary?
Now I wonder how much commentary there might be from more non-targeted people like Asian women who aren't the subject of it all (the media seems to find the men who look very West Asian "tall, dark, and handsome" and the women who do "sideshow freaks"...).
Anyway, on a couple of threads on other forums years ago, I did see some commentary from East Asian women (like "We can date who we want, you don't have first dibs on us!") and from other East Asian men (like "Calling them sellouts won't attract them to you" and "My [girlfriend/SO/fiancée/wife] is black and she says the media calls black women less sexy too, why don't we date each other instead of worrying about whites dating black men and Asian women?").
Also see http://www.bigbadchinesemama.com/home.html .
Haha, I LOVE Big Bad Chinese Mama. Thanks for the link :)
It's good to hear that people are saying those things on forums, too. My mind reels at Asian men who call Asian women names and don't understand that the reason said women aren't attracted to them probably has nothing to do with their race and everything to do with their raging misogyny, so I'm glad other Asian men are calling them out on it.
The black woman/Asian man thing is interesting, because it seems like just another overly race-based solution to the whole thing, but on the other hand, why DON'T these Asian guys have any interest in black women? It's a lot like the whole "nice guy" phenomenon- for all their bitching and whining about how they're so nice and no girls ever like them because they're not hot, they turn their nose up at women who are similarly considered unattractive for whatever reason.
Ugh I'm not feeling well these days. Just popping in to say
Priscilla, when you posted these stats on Woman of Color Blog, I couldn't find the study on the NAPAWF website about the second highest abortion rate. Priscilla, do you know offhand if it's Native American women who have the highest rate of abortion?
thewingedwitch, Gary Okihiro's Margins and Mainstreams and Yen Le Espiritu's Asian American Women and Men: Labor, Laws and Love give a very balanced view of men's and women's stereotypes. They always have to do labor exigencies in this country. That's right, money.
My mind reels at Asian men who call Asian women names and don't understand that the reason said women aren't attracted to them probably has nothing to do with their race and everything to do with their raging misogyny, so I'm glad other Asian men are calling them out on it.
Exactly. We rarely hear the women's perspective. YELL-oh Girls!'s chapter Who We Are: South Asian Girls Speak Out. A Roundtable Discussion gives a good treatment of this perspective from the perspective of 1.5 and second generation Asian American women. I recommend this book and chapter to all Asian American men and women.
http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=67
I got your docile and compliant RIGHT HERE.
NAPAWF focuses on six areas
Civil Rights
-enforce and expand civil rights protections
-protect affirmative action
-stop hate crimes and end discrimination/bias
Economic Justice
-eliminate discrimination and exploitation
-ensure/increase economic opportunities and support job training, subsidized child care and other policies that eliminate obstacles to economic independence
Educational Access
-increase professional and political opportunities for Asian Pacific Americans
-increase knowledge and research on education of APA women and girls
Health and Reproductive Freedom
-protect/increase awareness to primary care and reproductive knowledge and research on health of APA women and girls
Ending Violence Against Women
-end cycles of violence among APAs
-stop trafficking and other violence
Immigrant and Refugee Rights
-increase political empowerment
-increase economic and legal protection
Also, Woman of Color Blog will blow your mind. Check it out. You won't regret it.
"Haha, I LOVE Big Bad Chinese Mama. Thanks for the link :)"
You're welcome :D
"The black woman/Asian man thing is interesting, because it seems like just another overly race-based solution to the whole thing, but on the other hand, why DON'T these Asian guys have any interest in black women?"
Good points. I just remembered this post:
"As an Asian American man, I can relate to the sentiments of African American women. Do you have any insight into any similarities or differences between the situation of African American men and Asian American women?"
from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/06/08/DI2006060800820.html
The thread's not even about Asian-Americans dating but about African-Americans dating.
OTOH, maybe these posts re: BF-AM dating I saw in different threads are all from one guy who happens to have the same taste in web pages that I do?
"It's a lot like the whole 'nice guy' phenomenon- for all their bitching and whining about how they're so nice and no girls ever like them because they're not hot, they turn their nose up at women who are similarly considered unattractive for whatever reason."
Now if those men actually were nice guys, instead of just nice to the women who like jerks and jerks to the women like me who like guys who are genuinely nice, then they wouldn't have that complaint.
"YELL-oh Girls!'s chapter Who We Are: South Asian Girls Speak Out. A Roundtable Discussion gives a good treatment of this perspective from the perspective of 1.5 and second generation Asian American women. I recommend this book and chapter to all Asian American men and women."
Thanks for the recommendation! :)
Meanwhile, if I find a young man who *does* just like long black hair and AA breasts instead of submissiveness, I'll let you know. ;)
Maybe I'm above the fray or have standards or something but I never meet white men or Asian men or any men like this in real life. This is what happens when you become a feminist at 22 or whatever like I did.
"I couldn't find the study on the NAPAWF website about the second highest abortion rate."
Donna: The stat is in our reproductive justice policy agenda, "Reclaiming Choice, Broadening the Movement" on page 5. You can download it from our website, or if you become a NAPAWF member (hint, hint) you can get a hard copy.
I second the recommendation to read Women of Color blog. BFP provides some amazing commentary on the experiences of immigrant women.
"if I find a young man who *does* just like long black hair and AA breasts instead of submissiveness, I'll let you know. ;)"
Funny thing is, I don't have either of those things.. just the Asian eyes that cause men to project weird ideas onto me, I suppose. I've had people argue with me that my hair is black (it's dark brown). Very strange.
"Maybe I'm above the fray or have standards or something but I never meet white men or Asian men or any men like this in real life. This is what happens when you become a feminist at 22 or whatever like I did."
The really scary thing is that actually, I'm 19- these are high school and college boys who feel the need to talk this sort of shit. To be fair, the whole "sluts" thing I quoted was from a Youtube thread, so I haven't met anyone like that in "real life" either, but I have had Asian guys demand to know why us Asian girls always date white men (to which I always respond, "Why don't you ask someone who has ACTUALLY DATED a white man?"), and as for the Asiaphiles, don't even get me started.
I actually have a copy of "Yell-OH Girls" sitting around somewhere, I'll have to go back to it sometime... and I'll definitely be perusing the other recommendations. Thanks, everyone!
"'if I find a young man who *does* just like long black hair and AA breasts instead of submissiveness, I'll let you know. ;)'
"Funny thing is, I don't have either of those things.. just the Asian eyes that cause men to project weird ideas onto me, I suppose."
Yeah, that might be it. I do have both of those things, have the extra eyelid crinkle instead of "Asian eyes," and which one of us gets fetishized?
"I've had people argue with me that my hair is black (it's dark brown). Very strange."
WTF is with them? Why would they bother arguing about that?
"but I have had Asian guys demand to know why us Asian girls always date white men (to which I always respond, 'Why don't you ask someone who has ACTUALLY DATED a white man?'),"
Good comeback.
"and as for the Asiaphiles, don't even get me started."
Hey, feel free to complain.
That's what I figured. The stereotype Priscilla talked about is much more prevalent now because of the internet and Asian porn, I think. Luckily, when I was 19 or 20, this stereotype wasn't as prevalent. I don't have really long hair or small breasts either but if someone said something skeevy like that to me ("I just like long black hair and size-AA breasts"), that's a huge red flag for any Asian girl or woman. Priscilla, I will join on the website. Honestly, my favorite feminisms have been second wave white feminism and second wave black feminism (e.g. think Barbara Smith, bell hooks) but I'm currently reading Lora Jo Foo's essential Asian American Women which is actually featured on the website. I'm gonna ask about starting a Chicago chapter.
There is a bit of truth in stereotypes which is why Asians are currently the flavor of the month.
Which is why we need hardcore Asian American feminism.
You might be interested in the blogs, Racialicious and Reappropriate, which have addressed these issues.
You mean like Kal Penn (who I like except for Van Wilder) and Bai Ling? Check out the blogs Racialicious and Reappropriate.
Donna (and other intersted folks): There's an emerging Chicago chapter of NAPAWF. We're also co-hosting a progressive API women's convening on June 1 in Chicago . Feel free to contact us with details.
I hope you can join us!
There are lots of feminists in the area so it's time. I'll be in touch and thanks for the abortion info.
"'Now I wonder how much commentary there might be from more non-targeted people like Asian women who aren't the subject of it all (the media seems to find the men who look very West Asian 'tall, dark, and handsome' and the women who do 'sideshow freaks'...).'
"You mean like Kal Penn (who I like except for Van Wilder) and Bai Ling? Check out the blogs Racialicious and Reappropriate."
OK, thanks for the recommendations! :)
When I posted that, I was thinking more like South Asian women, Central Asian women, some Middle Eastern women, some Siberian women etc. OTOH it seems like "Asian" often means "just Chinese/Japanese/etc." (or "just Indian/Pakistani/etc." in the UK) instead and seems like the Asiaphiles sure don't want to see frizz and stubble (like I inherited from Iran) growing back the morning after...
My god, check the top story on CNN.com:
Push to achieve tied to suicide in Asian-American women
- Suicide second-leading cause of death for Asian-American women 15-24
- Highest suicide rate among women of any race, ethnicity for that age group
- Experts cite "model minority" expectations, family pressures as factors
That's more stats for you.
Mina, Asian American community totally focuses on East Asians and mostly ignores South Asians, South East Asians. Community comes from the word communicate and communion but communities of color tend to ignore large segments of their community.
"My god, check the top story on CNN.com:
"Push to achieve tied to suicide in Asian-American women
" http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/05/16/asian.suicides/index.html
"- Suicide second-leading cause of death for Asian-American women 15-24
"- Highest suicide rate among women of any race, ethnicity for that age group
"- Experts cite 'model minority' expectations, family pressures as factors"
That is horrifying.
The pressure to constantly study and rarely socialize is downright dehumanizing. It's as if many people expect us to be encyclopedias on feet instead of whole people. >:(
The article didn't say much about loneliness, though. I dropped out of one college when the workload got too heavy partly because it wasn't leaving me enough time to try to make friends. How many other women stayed under heavy workloads, ended up with no social lives and nobody who liked them for their personalities instead of blood ties, and couldn't live with *that* anymore? :(
"Mina, Asian American community totally focuses on East Asians and mostly ignores South Asians, South East Asians..."
...but I wouldn't be surprised if Noh's study covers young American women with ancestors anywhere from Japan to India to Tajikistan to Lebanon. From what I've heard (including what Mom told me about her education), that pressure to study is a middle-class thing with a very wide range.