where is the
#RePresentazn
Well,
where is it?
Accurate representation for Asians in the media has been a topic that has been constantly overlooked within our communities. Asian characters have been cemented into stereotypical roles such as the nerd, the martial artist, the unattractive male, and much more. Along with the limited roles available for Asian actors, there is a huge underrepresentation of Asian actors in the media.
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Asians are misrepresented and underrepresented in the media. It is time to stop pretending that it is appropriate to cast White actors for Asian roles or limit roles because of someone's skin tone.
Early on, I had a role in “The Office.” No ethnicity was required. The director of that episode was Paul Feig, and I remember him laughing so hard. I had only like two lines in it, but that was one of my proudest moments as an actor, because it wasn’t based on ethnicity. And it really gave me confidence that I have a chance of not just playing the Asian guy.
Ken Jeong
My role is not just artist. It’s also activist because of the way I look. On so many shows and movies, race was a gesture, and in mine it’s the premise. I can’t ignore that what a lot of people see is an Indian woman who doesn’t look like a Bollywood star. It piques their interest, and they’re not bad for wanting me to tell stories about it, and I’m not wrong for not wanting to. I want to fill my desire to write vibrant, flawed characters, but then also be a role model to young people. It’s stuff that I think about all the time. Some people don’t have to think about this at all.
Mindy Kaling
I never saw people like me on television in the States [after working in Shanghai]. It was very difficult [to get representation in the 1980s].
Joan Chen
Stereotyping in Hollywood is not a new thing. Whether for comedy, ignorance or a combination of the two, it exists in movies, television shows, and etc. Some of the most common Asian American stereotypes that are consistently portrayed in media include the nerd, dragon lady, martial artist , foreigner - the list goes on. These stereotypes often hinder Asian American actors from accepting roles, further limiting the already small pool of acting roles for Asians.
Stereotype Fulfilled: The Quiet and Submissive Asian girl
- Character named Lily from movie Pitch Perfect
- Rarely talks in the film
- Usually seen as scared and wide-eyed
- One of the secondary characters
So, What& where are the stereotypes?
Stereotyping in Hollywood is not a new thing. Whether for comedy, ignorance or a combination of the two, it exists in movies, television shows, and etc. Some of the most common Asian American stereotypes that are consistently portrayed in media include the nerd, dragon lady, martial artist , foreigner - the list goes on. These stereotypes often hinder Asian American actors from accepting roles, further limiting the already small pool of acting roles for Asians.
STEREOTYPE FULFILLED:
THE QUIET & SUBMISSIVE ASIAN GIRL
Hana Mae Lee as Lily in Pitch Perfect
- Rarely talks in the film
- Usually seen as scared and wide-eyed
- One of the secondary characters
STEREOTYPE FULFILLED:
THE FOREIGNER
Ken Jeong as Leslie Chow in The Hangover
- Loud, overexaggerated accent
- Demasculinized through his feminine attire/accessories
STEREOTYPE FULFILLED:
THE DRAGON LADY
Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill
- Martial artist, over aggressive
- Seen as exotic as a sexualized Asian woman
STEREOTYPE FULFILLED:
THE STRICT ASIAN MOM
Constance Wu as Jessica Huang in
Fresh Off the Boat
- Wants her 3 children to have successful careers (such as a doctor)
- Tries to bargain the prices,
constantly asks about kid’s grades
STEREOTYPE FULFILLED:
THE OVERLY STUDIOUS STUDENT
Justin Chon as Jeff Chang in 21 & Over
- Over achieving student that’s going down the medical career pathway
- Doesn’t want to celebrate his 21st birthday due to an interview
YELLOWFACE
IN HOLLYWOOD
Yellowface is a form of theatrical makeup in which American actors use to portray an East Asian character. Often times the character they play reflects the American perception of East Asian culture rather than a true, realistic and authentic representation of the culture. The history of yellowfacing in old films has contributed to the normalization of whitewashing of characters in today's popular media. Although the use of yellowface has decreased, it is an issue that can be found in much of Hollywood films today. Below is a timeline that will describe the history of whitewashing in the media.
THE
NEGATIVE IMPACT
ON SOCIETY
The manifestation of Asian stereotypes and misperceptions in Western society are a result of misinformation and ignorance existing within the population. The false representations of Asian culture portrayed by the media thus perpetuate a cycle of social inequity.
Here's how:
what are the
statistics?
Asians made up just 4.4% of speaking characters across last year’s top 100 grossing movies, according to a University of Southern California study.
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Although Asian Americans are now the nation’s fastest-growing demographic, their presence in films has gotten visibly smaller since 2008.
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52 out of 800 (6%) main cast members are of Asian descent on 100 network TV shows.
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6.6% of main cast members are of Asian descent, and 37.9% of shows have at least one Asian main cast member.*
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7.8% of shows have multiple Asian main cast members, and there are 6 shows in which a co-lead character is played by an actor of Asian descent.*
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*Network TV Stats (based on the most recent season of every primetime scripted series to air on the five major networks since fall 2014)
How can you prevent the misrepresentation of Asian cultures?
The best way to combat misrepresentation is to spread awareness and support media that DOES promote an accurate representation of culture. Educate those around you of the issues that Asian American communities are facing and how it affects them. If you see misrepresentation, whether in movies or on social media, share this site to show them how the stereotypes are wrong.
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Be the #representAZN you want to see.
Check out some of these informative videos that'll educate you even further in the misrepresentation in media!
1. Dumbfoundead- "Safe!"
2. Vox- "Yellowface is a bad look, Hollywood"
3. EliotChangOfficial- "The Real Damn Truth About Asians In The Media"
4. LastWeekTonight- "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Whitewashing (HBO)"
5. BuzzFeedYellow- "Asian Americans Respond To Racist Comments"
6. BuzzFeed- "East Asians React To Yellowface"
informative
videos
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IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES...
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