The Asian American community has long been referred to as a “model minority" which is a term used to refer to non-white ethnic groups in the US and the perceived notion that they can to find success and adapt to the American way of life seamlessly. According to Yen (2), the model minority is one that has achieved economic and societal success. They can blend into the ideal conservative lifestyle that Americans hold ideal such as strong family ties and hard work. Moreover, the Asian Americans are expected to attain success in the academic field and the entrepreneurial field as well. And they are to do so with no exceptions because failing to do so will defy the status quo that America wishes to attain of the type of immigrants they would love to have in their country. (Yen, 2).
The stereotype is applied to all Asians regardless of their origins and their reasons for migrating from their home countries. They are expected to fit into this pre-defined monolithic group, just to be as hard working, conscientious, family-oriented and have the ability to earn their living in the country instead of relying on government assistance. Other minorities were supposed to emulate this example hence the name “model” minority. The goal is to adopt the white ethnic group’s value,s and the Asian Americans that do not meet the criteria of being intelligent and business savvy are often overlooked and seen as failures.
This stereotype rose in the 1960s and 1970s when there was a massive influx of Asians into the country, and they differed from those who had arrived during the Gold Rush. These Asians were highly educated, they were engineers, scientists, and doctors. They were no longer poor laundry workers and gold diggers rather, dream immigrants and an example to be followed. (Linshi). Throughout these two decades, the media was quick to praise this new kind of Asian. Newspapers such as The New York Times and the U.S. News and World Report coined and helped cement the term “model minority” and went on to elaborate how they deserved this name. In 1987, Time magazine ran a cover with six Asian children with the headline “These Asian-American Whiz Kids” which was received with a lot of controversy by the community.
The media purposefully ignored the majority of Asians who did not adhere to this robotic and one-dimensional definition and focused on the second generation Asian Americans who grew up, interacted and adopted American mannerisms and eventually settling into their lifestyle with a lush career. They refused to cover any stories of those groups that wrangled in poverty and were on welfare, whose familial ties had been severed back in their war-torn countries and did not have any education backgrounds for such reasons. Ultimately, their success and picture perfect image were maintained through exaggerations in a civil rights climate that saw other minority groups such as the African Americans fall into poverty. One would argue that it was the white population that needed assurance that their beliefs were still intact after the civil rights unrest. (Yen, 3).
The model minority stereotype is marred with pitfalls that have only benefited the few Asians who are financially successful but left out the other 99%. Asian Americans are typically one of the most underrepresented minorities in political and entertainment industries in the US. The stereotype is so deeply rooted in the minds of Americans such that if an Asian American decides to pursue a career that is not in line with what is pre-defined and expected of them to do, they are termed to be rebellious, or they encounter more challenges trying to attain success in the same. (The New York Times). It is even more destructive to students in high school and university; it is jokingly said that "an A is an Asian F." They suffer from immense pressure to live up to the hype created that Asians are geniuses and nerds whose only interests are Math and Science. It is indeed strange to see an Asian pop star in America because they are frowned upon when they show any interest other than academics. Asian American students have some of the highest levels of mental health issues in the country as a result. They are tormented by the need to live up to this supposedly positive stereotype, in turn, they end up not performing at all in school.
Asian Americans are disadvantaged because they do not benefit from affirmative action which saw other minority groups benefit as from the 1960s. Therefore, they are severely underrepresented in all professions that are not science or Math-related. They are believed to be only good in these and not others. Asian Americans are the most educated ethnic group in the group and the highest earning as well. However, these studies are faulty in failing to account for these findings. The only reason they are so highly-educated is to compete with their white counterparts who do not have to attain the same level of education vis-à-vis their advancement in their careers. Secondly, Asian American have been reported to live in an extended family setting with most of the members holding some jobs and thus contribute to higher household incomes. (Yen, 2). As of 2012, very few Asians check off the Asian box on college applications to better their chances of being accepted without any expectations that they should have done better.
Entertainers such as Mindy Kaling are seen as exceptions, the severe mental health issues affecting the community and lack of diversity, it is for these and other reasons that there should be solutions to change this positive stereotype. eA crucial short-term solution should be disaggregating the data. Asian Americans are often classified into a monotonous group with one narrative. Research that is often done focuses on the few, wealthy Asians, regardless of their origin. They ignore their backgrounds and lump them all up together as one people who all share one culture; an Indian could be Chinese, could be Laotian, they are all Asian, right? Doing so will allow researchers to include all subgroups of Asians, their values, cultures and their effects on attaining success.
In the long-term, Asian Americans are responsible for changing their narratives. While policies can be drafted and implemented to diversify all professions, it is ultimately up to the Asian American community to step out of this cocoon and explore their individual paths away from the model minority prejudice. The stereotype has also been held together by Asians themselves as a survival tactic in the new environment where they are taught to adapt. Students have been reported to experience immense pressure from their parents the most; to always produce the highest test scores so as to succeed in America as is required of them. They should no longer be complacent and comfortable with the term because it has only proven detrimental especially to the young generation of students. The biggest pro from these solutions will be to benefit the younger generations and inspire them to be what they desire, which is the American dream as opposed to the dream America wants them to have. Students will no longer have to suffer and languish in anxiety, depression and even suicide if they fail to meet these perpetuated expectations.
The primary beneficiaries will be the younger generations, just like in any other racial group in America, they will be free to choose a life of which they are the most comfortable and satisfied. Failure to do so, as it is, has led to a spike in the number of Asian American women who have been committing suicide from depression. (Hartlep). If the stereotype continues to be, these numbers will only go up as these individuals are unable to deal with these unusually high standards. The community will also continue to lose out on diversity roles, remain in poor economic statuses and be underrepresented. It means that their needs will not be considered a priority should they decide not take any action against the stereotype.
There are numerous platforms, activists, and journals dedicated to demystifying Asian Americans. They are dedicated to pointing the crude stereotypes and their harrowing effects on this population. They include the Leadership Conference and several workshops conducted by activists all over learning institutions that raise awareness and create a different narrative for Asians.
Works Cited
Linshi, J. “The Real Problem When It Comes to Diversity and Asian-Americans.” Time Magazine. 2014. Web. 3rd Feb 2017.
Hartlep, N. D. “Policy Suggestions for Combating the Asian American Model Minority Stereotype.” Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 2013. Web. 3rd Feb 2017.
The New York Times. “Asian-Americans and Stereotypes.” 2015. Web. 3rd Feb 2017.
Yen, R. J. “Racial Stereotyping of Asians and Asian Americana and Its Effect on Criminal Justice: A Reflection on the Wayne Lo Case.” Asian American Law Journal, Vol. 7. 2000. Web. 3rd Feb 2017.
