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I’m not Tiny Because I’m Asian, I’m Tiny Because You’re White.
By: Taryn Englehart.
As an Asian woman under 5’4”, many people misattribute my size to my race. One of the most confusing comments I receive from white women is, “Ugh, I’m jealous of Asian women because they’re all so tiny!” It’s a confusing statement because it’s not true. I’m not tiny because I’m Asian, I’m tiny because you’re white.
You see, with 4.3 billion Asians accounting for 60% of the world’s population, our median size is the norm and you’re all deviating from it. Americans choose to see us foreigners as small instead of stereotyping themselves as huge.
Seriously, the scientific reason I’m tiny has nothing to do with my race. You see me as “so tiny!” in comparison
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For centuries, Westerners have been asking themselves why some Asians are the size they are. According to recovered Ming dynasty diaries, the first question white women asked after stepping foot in China in the 14th century was, “Oh my God, how do they eat so much rice but stay so small?”
A translator communicated the answer to them: “They’re not small. You’re actually huge.” But sadly this knowledge was forgotten from the Western historical record.
Many people still wrongly use “being Asian” as a catch-all explanation for certain qualities that only some Asians possess. For example, not all Asians excel at math. I happened to score a five on my Calc BC exam, but that’s because I studied hard – a time-tested approach used by people of all races across the globe. And I’m certainly, and most importantly, not tiny because I’m Asian. 100% of the reason why I’m tiny is because you’re white.
It’s just a fact I didn’t make up and certainly can’t change.
Just like other humans, Asian women come in many different shapes, sizes and forms. Assuming we’re the same harms those who don’t fit this narrative of the stereotypical Asian. And when we do happen to be tiny, it’s not “because we’re Asian.” It’s because you’re colossal and because you’re
The article by Min Zhou titled "Are Asian Americans becoming "white"? was relatively interesting as it provides a look at a different perspective of Asian Americans regarding immigration. I found it particularly interesting to learn that Asian Americans are considered to be white in equal opportunity programs; however, the race is still seen as different from Americans of European ancestry. Furthermore, I was not shocked to read that Zhou described the Asian American race as the "model minority." When first looking at the reading, I was shocked by the title because I thought it was a little exaggerated. I believe the author could have chosen a more suitable phrase rather than "Asian Americans are becoming white"; however, it does provide significant
Tim Wise’s book White Like Me provides a picture of what it is like to be white in America. A main topic covered in White Like Me is white privilege. On pages 24 and 25 Wise illustrates what white privilege is and shares his opinion regarding how to address white privilege in society today. Wise’s plan for addressing white privilege is one not of guilt, but of responsibility, a difference Wise highlights. The concept of feeling guilty for white privilege lacks reason because white privilege is something built up through generations and its existence is not of any one person’s fault. Guilt would just be detrimental to the possibility of making progress in this field. Responsibility, on the other hand, is a perfectly logical action to take when
For 20 years, Asian Americans have been portrayed by the press and the media as a successful minority. Asian Americans are believed to benefit from astounding achievements in education, rising occupational statuses, increasing income, and are problem-fee in mental health and crime. The idea of Asian Americans as a model minority has become the central theme in media portrayal of Asian Americans since the middle 1960s. The term model minority is given to a minority group that exhibits middle class characteristics, and attains some measure of success on its own without special programs or welfare. Asian Americans are seen as a model minority because even though they have faced prejudice and discrimination by other racial groups, they have succeeded socially, economically, and educationally without resorting to political or violent disagreements with the majority race. The “success” of the minority is offered as proof that the American dream of equal opportunity is capable to those who conform and who are willing to work hard. Therefore, the term ...
Here is some advice to my younger Asian American self, growing up in a media filled industry focused on physical attraction, accept the things that cannot be changed, especially your own race. Unless going under the knife was ever an option you cannot change the way your facial features are arranged that identifies and distinguishes you as being Asian. This problem you and many other people of color have, arise from media images published in mediums such as magazines that predominately represent the Caucasian race and Caucasian features as being the most beautiful and most accepted. Because of this, Susan Bordo from the Empire of Images explains that these images, “speak to the young people not just about how to be beautiful but about how to become what the dominant culture admires” (21). This admiration of Caucasian features over other racial features explains the media bias that directly contributes to the lack of diversity seen in magazines.
Ever since I was a young girl, I was taught to love those around me and to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I always looked upon everyone the same way, regardless of if they had a different skin tone or facial features from me. This philosophy, however, did not prove to be a popular one held among my peers in my middle school years. Middle school was the first time I truly experienced confusion regarding my ethnicity and culture. I vividly remember the time when a group of students blatantly mocked and teased my Asian ethnicity.
We cannot deny the fact that, as Americans, racial realism has always affected us and our way of thinking. In my personal experience, being an Asian, I have had
Chinks, bad drivers, math and science nerds, F.O.Bs and ect. There are so many stereotypes and misconception for one specific ethnic group: Asian. But perhaps the most popular image of Asian Americans presented in society is being the “model minority.” If you were to ask any random person to pick a specific minority group that was more academically, economically and socially successful compared to the others, chances are 90% of them would answer: Asians. “Asians makes more money than any other race.” “Asians have the highest grades compared to other races, especially in math and science subjects.” But contrary to these popular stereotypes, the misrepresentation of Asian Americans as the model minority are false and simply just a myth. Furthermore, this misleading comparison may actually lead to harmful consequences in Asian American students.
If an Asian American is successful and smart, then it must be true about the whole Asian race. It creates false assumptions that every Asian is the same, which can discriminate and stereotype all Asian Americans who don’t belong in the category. This creates an unfair and unjust disadvantage and treatment towards Asian Americans who are targeted as one, in other words, it’s a problem that their needs and aids are ignored by society. According to the Pew Research Center data, recent trends show that Asian Americans are the “the highest-income, best-educated and fastest-growing racial group in the United States” ("The Rise of.”), who overtook Hispanics in the 2010 Census.... ...
Everyone seems to praise Asians for their skinny bodies and healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, they don’t realize the hardship that Asian children have to endure growing up. Since young Asians children are under careful watch about their body size, looks, and weight. Making sure the girls fit into the mold that society has set out for them. No matter where a person goes, people are already having a judgment on how she looks. Any sign of body imperfection, particularly overweight, will bring the wrath of society, making comments about how bad the girl looks, how she should lose weight to match with their ideal image.
In the early years of my life, adapting to the foreign customs of America was my top priority. Although born in America, I constantly moved back and forth from Korea to the US, experiencing nerve-racking, yet thrilling emotions caused by the unfamiliarity of new traditions. Along with these strange traditions, came struggles with accepting my ethnicity. Because of the obvious physical differences due to my race, the first question asked by the students in elementary school was, “Are you from China?” These inquiries were constantly asked by several of American students until middle school which transformed to “You must be good at math” referencing the stereotypical intellect that Asian are perceived to have. Through continuous insult on my Asian heritage, I began to believe and later hate the person I was due to criticism made by teenagers which I started to see true despite all the lies that was actively told. This racial discrimination was a reoccurring pattern that
I also researched instances of counter actions taken by Asian Americans to protest against these negative images. My research also has examples of Asians that have succeeded in breaking through the racial barriers in the media. The results show that even though racial stereotyping still exists in various forms of mass media, there are signs that show noticeable improvement in allowing a more balanced image of Asian Americans. Statement of the Problem There are close to 12 million Asian Americans living in the United States (U.S. Asian, 2000). Asian Americans are considered one of the fastest growing minorities (Pimentel, 2001).
In the end, it is up to Asian-Americans to discredit the positive and negative stereotypes. By assimilating with other race groups, Asian-Americans will gain more understanding from their non-Asian peers. In addition, when Asians are more forth-coming with their struggles, it will unmask the myth of perfection and allow others to see them as an individual.
Did you know that the Asian American race has the highest minority rate worldwide? Asian Americans take up only 5.8 percent of the United States population. They have had a hard time here in the United States trying to achieve and live the “American Dream” but they have had many things get in the way of that. Things that get in their way are factors like Worldwide discrimination. No matter where they go, they get discriminated from things just because they are Asian American. Another thing is their education getting in the way of it. Asian Americans try and apply to a college they want to get into to get into their career but they get turned down just because they are Asian American. This is a huge problem for them because it will keep them from living the so called “American Dream”.
...use they love their mother and observe the sacrifice that takes to be one. On the other hand, asians are view as really smart people and hardworking. But this qualities becomes barrier once they step out off school. Their efficiency limits them to bitter labor and the workforce, and blocks their upper mobility to leadership.
Looking at Intraracial we can begin to think about one race within itself, like the article “FOB’s V.S. Twinkies”. The article reads that the “Asian” race is divided into two different groups the FOB’s or the Twinkies (white washed) just because of the lifestyle that they choose to live, and or the clothing they wear. Both articles prove interesting points, and they intently draw our attention even more with each point they make . Not only because of how unfair things can be, but also, how discrimination really takes a toll on things.