An Asian Girl’s Definition of Herself

By “Cleanchino” Cho

Although I am not a proud lurker on Facebook, I still continue to browse the ever-so revealing News Feed on a regular basis. It’s part of my ritual during my daily commute home from work. Facebook is not only just a social media profile page, but it is a marketplace for sharing information. While scrolling down, I find an interesting image posted on an acquaintance’s posting. I was profoundly confused after reading the description defined on the image.

It stated the following:

Asian girls definition: The best looking women on Earth. Make great wives, great sex, usually not as slutty as white girls, can cook good food, and make white girls undesirable in comparison.

Using the lovely capabilities and options on Facebook, my acquaintance also decides to ‘tag’ 20 of her Asian girlfriends to the post, with many of them ‘Liking’ the status.

First of all, I was surprised that anyone would post such a demeaning description of themselves publicly, and then classify that her ethnicity and gender is superior than another one. As much as I hate the generalization, I also find that the comparative narrative suggests hatred for another. Why is there a need to bring yourself above one, and then push them below your own? It is easy to dismiss this passage as being racist, but I don’t believe the intention is to project prejudice toward Caucasian people. The underlying factor is that they are contrasting for a reason: it’s because they are targeting a particular reader, Caucasian men.

Without going in-depth regarding the mutually fulfilling prophecy between Asian women and Caucasian men, I am shocked that these girls would degrade themselves by suggesting that they make the ideal housewife because they are great at pleasing their men– and much better at it than another race of women. What’s also counter-intuitive is that they first suggest that they’re great at sex, but they’re not slutty. If I was trying to convince others that I’m not a criminal, but at the same time broadcast that I am fantastic at stealing, I’m delivering a mixed message. (Yes, I’m aware that being good at something doesn’t make you do something frequently and without morals).

Another point I want to emphasize is that the entire statement is marketing Asian women as trophy wives that you can enjoy at home and bring outside for show-and-tell as a fashion accessory. What my concern is, where is the part or notion that suggests that Asian girls are “intelligent, classy, and sophisticated”? Why is this Asian girl proud of selling herself short? And the fact that other girls are approving of it makes me question them and why they are interested in fulfilling the stereotype.

I am not a bitter Asian man, but I feel insulted that this is where the girls of my ethnicity are moving toward while women have spent years fighting for equality. In current society, which seems to be losing the classic 60’s gentleman, I find it pathetic that women are selling themselves short to appeal to another race.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: “Cleanchino” Cho is a 24 year-old Chinese-Canadian male working in fashion management.  He is proud of his culture, but ashamed of some who represent the whole.