Battling Model Minority, Yellow Peril, Yellowface

http://www.racebending.com/v3/press/journalists-and-critics-tackle-the-casting-controversy-in-the-last-airbender/
http://blog.angryasianman.com/
http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/75620207/News/Angry-Asian-Girl-Clip-1

Asian Misrepresentation

The model minority myth is bad representation of our communities. Individuals in the Asian and Asian American community share a diverse range of experiences and need to be represented in that way on T.V., in Hollywood, on the internet and so on. As individuals in this society, we have the ability to think critically and decide whether or not these portrayals are accurate, reflect the entire community, and ultimately whether or not we accept these ideas. By acknowledging these misrepresentations exist, we admit there is a problem but by not doing anything about it, you are part of perpetuating the Model Minority Myth. There are many ways to combat these terrible stereotypes and some include: boycotting T.V. shows and films that promote misrepresentations, writing blogs debunking these ideas, using art to display accurate portrayals, organizing against the misrepresentations and making demands, making or supporting independent films and shows, and by informing other people when you see or hear things that are problematic.

Pew Research Controversy

Last year a research study from the Pew Research Center was published that claims Asians are on average more educated and have a higher income than folks from other groups. The study was taken from a random sample of about 3,500 people, mostly of Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese origin. This report not only promotes the Model Minority myth and causes tensions between Asians and other groups, but it is over simplified, suggests Asians do not have challenges, and does not reflect the larger Asian population. These representations only end up harming Asian communities by overlooking them and assuming they do not need important resources that other groups need.

Meme's that perpetuate the Model Minority Myth













Meme's like these that make their way all over the internet perpetuate the Model Minority Myth.

Model Minority presented in Immigration

Even in the current immigration debate, the Asian Undocumented students appear to be the Advanced Placement/Honors students, Math Club President, and Pulitzer Prize winning Journalists. Although the average, everyday, Asian Undocumented Student exists, you hardly hear those stories whereas other minority undocumented groups are portrayed having a variety of experiences.

Mindy Kaling


Mindy Kaling plays Mindy Lahiri on the T.V. comedy The Mindy Project. Although this is the first U.S. television series that features a South Asian American as the series lead, it gives in to Asian misrepresentation. Mindy plays a successful Doctor in New York, but her overall goal in life is to find love. It appears as if she is insecure without a lover and it just so happens that every boyfriend she has had on the series happened to be white. Once again, even in contemporary T.V. series, Asian women are often paired with White men partners. It seems to be a little disempowering that although she is a successful minority woman, she needs to have a man to make her feel complete.

Matthew Moy

Matthew Moy plays Han Lee, a Korean immigrant that owns a Diner in New York and has broken English, in the recent T.V. comedy 2 Broke Girls. He is often at the butt of everyone's jokes and is portrayed as cheap, asexual, and has an exaggerated accent. He plays a Korean immigrant even though he is a Chinese.