Asian Stereotypes

Asian Stereotypes

Stereotypes are everywhere in today's society. The media today such as television, radio, and the internet constantly remind us of the stereotypes for different races, genders, religions, and numerous other categories. Stereotypes of Asians in particular have been around for a fairly decent length of time. In the late 19th century, the term "Chinky Chink" was used to describe the American fear that a large number of Asians would immigrate to the United States. Americans were afraid that the Asian immigrants would "invade" the country and take jobs away from Americans. At this time, many anti-Asian feelings were expressed, especially on the West Coast, through headlines such as "The 'Yellow Peril'" (Los Angeles Times, 1886). In 1924, the Immigration Act was passed, limiting the number of Asians allowed into the United States because by then they were considered an "undesirable" race. Racism back then eventually evolved into the stereotype ingrained in today's society.

Asian Family Customers Shopping in The Super Marke...

Asian Brown Tortoise / Burmese Star Tortoise

English: Diagram indicating Asian American settlem...

One of the more common Asian stereotypes in our world specifically pertains to East Asians. East Asia as a phrase usually refers to the countries of China and Japan, as the main countries subject to stereotyping.

Generally, Asians are portrayed as being smart in subjects such as math or science, hardworking, politically ignorant, and very polite and inoffensive. They are also portrayed as having no peripheral vision, which supposedly leads to bad driving. Common stereotypes are martial artists, geeks, and foreigners. Being foreigners, Asians are attributed to speaking poor English and replacing the letters "-l" and "-r" with each other. Muttering random nonsense and using words that rhyme on "-ng" sounds like "ching, chang chong" is another depiction commonly associated with Asians. Asians in America are considered to be inadaptable, inherently fixed in their own culture and unable to become...