Asian American Identity

In America’s present society, Asian Americans are bound by the seemingly positive stereotypes of being intelligent, excelling in math, engineering, and finance. Throughout generations of immigration, Asian Americans have connected through a sense of identity with each other. However, what is this Asian American struggle that has created this common connection? Whether it be on a new ABC television show series “Fresh Off the Boat” or various trending Asian American communities on YouTube such as “Wong Fu Productions”, “Just Kidding Films”, “Great Off the Wall”, or “MyChonny”, we see this common connection intertwining in comedy, playing with the concept of the Asian American struggle. These Youtube Channels hit from hundred thousands to millions of subscribers and grab their Asian viewers by identifying with them from their relatable videos: “10 signs you know you’re becoming like your Asian parents”, “10 things all Asian Households Have”, “B+ Again?!”… and many other skits like this mimic and explore the lives of Asian Americans.

Asian Americans find that their households, in terms of expression, culture, and social rules, are implemented differently than average Caucasian or Black American households. Although I do tend to gravitate towards Asian friends, most of my friends are not my own ethnicity in terms of country. Despite the stratification of different countries in East Asia, whether it is South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, or Thailand, we all identify with each other, perhaps because of our minor differences. As an Asian American, I have found myself struggling with the burden of educational pressure from my parents, and with the concept of body image. As I question the limitations put on the Asian American voice, and question our privilege, I notice how these feelings are consented with a good majority of Asians in America today.

When we look at America’s society today, we see a melting pot. However, with the privileges of the cultural diversity, they come with disadvantages. Often times Asian-Americans like Roy Choi, a Korean American who was confronted by psychological dilemmas about his choices in life, make these types of light-hearted comments: “Asians are the only ones who worry about what their parents think about… all my other homies love their parents but don’t worry about [that].” Although I’m not Korean, I too can relate as a Vietnamese American; the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you have to show your parents your report card, agonizing over grades lower than 90s, or feeling the need to fulfill your image of being a “smart Asian.” However, as time goes by, Asian-American generations develop different mentalities, and we younger group try to understand the psychological academic dilemmas presented to us by our parents.  Hopefully, we will try to reel away from the strict Asian-oriented mentalities of harsh academic standards with the new mentality of a different freedom of expression.

Asians are often very family-oriented. We have large extended families and at least once a year we gather around with long distance relatives. However, aside from asking how are you, the first thing they comment on is your appearance: this is how I struggled with my body image. Aside from the comments given and asked by long-distance relatives, it was also immediate family. My family is small structured and svelte. Thus, when a young chubby girl like me grew up, I was always pressured to go on diets and lose weight, even as early as the age of 8. My relentless family signed me up for all sorts of activities to lose weight. For 7 years, I danced, and I hated it. I developed a horrible eating habit… from bingeing to starving. Often times when you see eating disorders on the television, they’re associated with the popular Caucasian teenagers who are challenged by the school social pressures and white standards to look beautiful. In the same way, Asian Americans often go through eating disorders as a result of the beauty standards of their families. Thus, the body criticism is tied together with the “tough love” attitudes of their parents and family.

Asian families have a coarse way of showing affection. They do not show it through hugs, kisses, and words of endearment; they show love through the efforts, work, and with what they provide their children. As an Asian American trying to assimilate into the American culture, I saw my friends being kissed by their parents, saying “I love you” to their parents, while I came home to my mother criticizing me, trying to make me as perfect as she could.

Another disadvantage to Asian American’s academic achievements are the stirring suspicion of racial quotas. According to the US Census Bureau, among Asian Americans, 21.2% hold an advanced degree, i.e. MA, Ph.D., M.D. or J.D., the highest rate of higher education than any other race. Yet Asian Americans find themselves restricted by this psychological dilemma. Although the population of college-age Asian Americans has doubled today, the Asian acceptance into Ivy League schools has either narrowed or become static. Top Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton have repeatedly denied that they have Asian-American racial quotas, but a considerable amount of anxiety has risen among the Asian American community. According to Ron Unz, “In fact, the large growth in the Asian-American population means that the fraction attending Harvard has fallen by more than 50 percent since the early 1990s, a decline considerably greater than the decline Jews experienced after the implementation of secret quotas in 1925.” Are these speculations enough to justify the suspicion of Asian American quotas, especially since there could be other factors that take into account the situation?

Furthermore, the Asian American mean of SAT scores results in 63 points higher than Caucasians, according to Asian Fortune blog. So according to Unz, “For instance, although the mean SAT score of Asian Americans is now 63 points higher than that of their white peers, all of the Ivy League schools comprise of mostly white students.” Thus, today Asian Americans have become fearful that their hard work and achievement will become futile, the competition and burden will become harder on them. Therefore, with the stereotyping of young Asians as hard workers, pressured by their parents to reach the top, it almost feels as if we are being stripped of opportunities through these suspicions of these racial quotas.

We’ve seen the negatives and struggles that Asian Americans face, so what are some of the positives? As we look into present day society, we see increasing development of technology. Thus, with technology comes with easy communication and increasing advancement within the media hemisphere. Twenty years ago, we would have been barely been able to catch a glimpse of an Asian on American television or Hollywood. However, with other media such as Youtube, Blogs, and podcasts, Asian Americans have found their way into the media and film field. From popular Asian American short filmmakers and actors such as Wong Fu Productions and Jkfilms, to online sources for Asian teens on fashion, entertainment and dating like Mochi Magazine, Audrey, or Hyphen magazines, Asian Americans are experiencing a growing media presence.   Furthermore, the Internet has given Asian Americans a much larger and broader opportunities not only within the film region but music as well. We see Asian Americans such as David Choi, Clara C., and Victor Kim gaining popularity worldwide and doing tours. Furthermore, several of these Asian Americans have been able to get opportunities of fame within their own native countries like Arden Cho and David Choi. As the future arrives, Asian Americans can only see a more positive future with a more open minded and open-armed America.