When I was in high school, all I wanted for Christmas was a lowered Honda Civic or Acura Integra. The ones that hug the ground so closely you have to drive sideways over a speed bump. The ones that have the fancy rims, the big exhaust pipe, and the tinted windows. I know, I know… An Asian American guy driving a lowered “Asian” car is very stereotypical, but I didn’t care!
I begged my parents to buy me one. I thought all the Asian kids at my school who had one were cooler, hotter, and more gangster than me… especially the girls! I thought my coolness/hotness/gangster level would increase exponentially if I had one. And I was super frustrated because it seemed everyone at my school had one but me! (To be fair, I HAD a car and should have been thankful for even having one but why lie, I wasn’t.)
Fret not, dear readers, I did eventually get one to call my own. A red 2 door lowered Honda Civic with tinted windows. I named it Bernie. I had the car through college until I was about 30. I realized around my 30th birthday that I was too old for such a car. I exchanged it for a more sensible gray Toyota Yaris named Bernie II, “The Revenge.”
Anyway, I bring this all up now because when I drive around, I don’t see as many lowered Hondas/Acuras. And when I do see them, they aren’t being driving by Asian/Asian Americans.
I guess what I’m wondering is whether Asian/Asian American kids still drive those cars. If you do or know someone that does, send me a picture and let me know if it’s okay to post it.
One final thought. If the stereotype of the Asian/Asian American driving a lowered car is no longer valid. Is there a new stereotype that replaced it? May I suggest, Asian/Asian American guys with a gray Toyota Yaris? Now that’s gangsta!
