One might suspect from the outset that dominant media portrays Asian and American men differently from Asian and Asian women; hence, one might look for contrasting media representations. Shek (2007) suggested that, in history, dominant mainstream culture has pictured Asian and Asian American men and women to be very different. Asian women are formed in an “aesthetically pleasing nature, sexually willing and speechless” as well as “dark” and “primitive” (Shek, 2007, pg.74). Shek suggests further that while Asian women were “exotic and appealing, the men, on the other hand, were almost always considered as predatory figures as tyrannical and lecherous, cruel in the way the they treat their women while lusting after the Euro-American women” (ibid, 75). They are an “enemy rival” who seem to be “inferior in either “ethics or physique” and bent on “territorial conquest.”
Indeed, the difference between Asian and Asian American men and women has conspicuously been foregrounded. One reason behind the representation with a difference among Asian and Asian American men and women has to do with a history of colonialism. Colonial logics have been a principle to the manner in which people of color are represented in the western media. The juxtaposition of the sexuality alluring and available Asian and Asian American women with the infamous and as a matter of fact undesirable Asian and Asian American men is for one: implies that the woman is free to enter into a romantic relationship with another person other than the Asian and Asian American men. Second, it proposes that Asian and Asian American man, prominently featured as undesirable if not loathsome, within the story, reasonably forgotten or eliminated. Therefore, her desirable coined with his undesirability ensures eliminability.
The media, however, is attempting to resolve this difference. It is important to note that media work to form men and women and eradicate the different representation of men and women interrelated. Scholars on the other hand, who study gender and sexuality have started to, rethink the manner in which gender representation functions. Gender and sexuality are part of representation that assists in describing and defining who has power in a relationship to the other (Petersen & Hyde, 2010). In this interlocked system, some are formed as having power and dominance, and others are considered to be powerless and submissive and other times subservient. The media however despite being able to represent the differences is working towards ensuring that these differences are eliminated and that equality is shared proportionally, giving Asian and Asian American men the ability to relate with their women without much prejudice.
The other strategy for a solution is working within the system. Most Asian American law students are in the attempt to use their disciplines to make better the lives of their citizens. Unfortunately, the most empathetic and action-oriented students become students become overwhelmed with the size of the issues they are yet to solve and most of the time are challenged on where to begin. However, there have been visible changes in the United States law throughout history. This is done with an aim of ensuring gender is appropriately attended to.
Besides large, structural change, there are various strategies to deal with the fighting of injustice at the personal and communal level. For hegemonic power to remain unchanged, resistance needs to be ensured as “unnecessary” illogical,” “crazy” and “overrated.” People's lack of understanding of gender and sexuality oppression is quite shameful, and this is largely due to the hegemonic culture if the white racial frame. However, hegemonic ideology continues to thrive due to lack of resistance and coercive normality being the “way it is assumed to be and should always.”
In the field of Asian American studies, the recent work of Lisa Lowe (1991) assists to underscore yet disparate ways in which gender and sexuality come together in various setting with an aim of securing and organizing genealogy of Asian American male subjectivity. Rehashing the length history of the United States legal definitions if citizenship, Chinese immigration, exclusion, naturalization, detention. National anti-miscegenation laws as well as legislative bans on the entry of Chinese women into the United States (In Fong, & In Shinagawa, 2000). As Lowe observes in ‘Immigrants Act’ these juridical activities produce a “technology” of the simultaneous gender of the Asian American male subjects. In other words, for Asian American gender and sexuality as produced, stabilized and secured through mechanisms of gender.
In conclusion, to ensure gender and sexuality that separates Asian American men from their women, ethical considerations should be put into consideration. In the sense, there is no need of taking sides when it comes to women and men. Both sexes are the same and therefore should maintain the fact that discrimination is not part of community ethics. Despite the differences, both Asian and Asian American men and Asian and Asian American women are the same culture and state, and therefore, should respect that (Hom, 1994). Discrimination, therefore, should be the first thing to be eliminated with the barrier that underlies sexuality and gender among Asian and Asian American men and their women. With this taken into consideration, perhaps the first step towards ensuring eradication of these differences will be ensured within our societies.
References
Hom, A. Y. (1994). Stories from the Homefront: Perspectives of Asian American Parents With Lesbian Daughters and Gay Sons. Amerasia Journal, 20(1), 19-32. doi:10.17953/amer.20.1.fw4816q23j815423
In Fong, T. P., & In Shinagawa, L. H. (2000). Asian Americans: Experiences and perspectives. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Lowe, L. (1991). Heterogeneity, hybridity, multiplicity: marking Asian American differences. Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, 1(1), 24-44.
Petersen, J. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2010). A meta-analytic review of research on gender differences in sexuality, 1993–2007. Psychological bulletin, 136(1), 21.
Shek, Y. L. (2007). Asian American masculinity: A review of the literature.The Journal of Men's Studies, 14(3), 379-391.
