"Asian women are not an object of your sexual gratification."
Writer Donna Kim explains how harmful stereotypes of Asian women have led to violence and racism.
Writer Donna Kim explains how harmful stereotypes of Asian women have led to violence and racism.
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00:00The portrayal and marginalization of Asian women in the media has damaging effects on how society treats us, and we're seeing this play out in the headlines.
00:09In addition, the coronavirus has perpetuated additional Asian stereotypes and shifted blame for the pandemic in the U.S. onto the Asian community.
00:18Due to their vulnerability, elderly Asians have been a physical target.
00:22On March 16th, eight people were gunned down in Atlanta when a 21-year-old white man opened fire on three spa businesses 100% owned by Asians.
00:32Six of the eight victims were Asian women, and that wasn't a coincidence. They were his intended targets.
00:38So let's ask what fuels this hate.
00:40When we look in the media, we see two things.
00:42One, the lack of representation, and two, in the very few instances of representation, Asian women have been portrayed in harmful, offensive, and hyper-sexualized stereotypes that position us as less than, subservient, submissive, and therefore arguably encourage and perpetuate acts of violence against us.
01:02Just look at how we've been portrayed in the media.
01:05Either like this.
01:12Or like this.
01:17And this.
01:24I can only name a few leading Asian actresses over the years off the top of my head.
01:28Constance Wu and Gemma Chan in Crazy Rich Asians, Michelle Yeoh's character in Tomorrow Never Dies, Lana Condor in To All the Boys I've Loved Before series, and Lucy Liu's character in Charlie's Angels.
01:41By now, you're probably aware that attacks on Asian Americans has spiked since the start of COVID-19, and 3,800 incidents were reported roughly over the course of the pandemic.
01:51And by the way, 68% of those were women.
01:55It's estimated that 41 to 61% of Asian women reported experiencing physical and or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
02:05That rate is higher than any other ethnic group, according to this report.
02:09As a first-generation Korean American, I've endured harassment my entire life, from my childhood through my adult life, and in school, in the workplace, and in social settings.
02:21When theories were circulating that the Atlanta shooting wasn't racially motivated, I saw that as scary and dangerous because it felt like the issue of sexualization of Asian women is being brushed under the rug and dehumanizes us.
02:33Asian women are not an object of your sexual gratification.
02:37Also, the uptick of violent attacks, particularly to the elderly, has made me worry about the safety of my family and my parents every single day.
02:46So here's what needs to change.
02:48Representation and portrayals of Asian women in media.
02:52Roles expanding our views of Asian women will lead to a shift in individual perceptions of us.
02:57Open discussions with non-AAPI community members and addressing these deeply rooted stereotypes.
03:04Encouraging victims to come forward and empower them to hold their abusers accountable, whether it's a romantic relationship or a professional one.
03:12Encouraging Asian Americans to have these discussions with one another.
03:16Too often, we find that mental health is a big taboo in our community.
03:20If you have faced anti-AAPI sentiment and actions, you should feel empowered to talk about the impact these actions have on you.
03:28Create safe spaces for AAPI professionals across all industries.
03:33And lastly, calling hate crimes for what they are.
03:37If you aren't willing to call it out, it continues a cycle of hate and violence.
03:40For more stories like these, visit nyseagrant.org.