From One Survivor to Another

Reasons why the “positive” racism, “model minority” stereotype for Asian Americans can be damaging:

• Any standard that is unrealistic and homogenous is inherently damaging by creating inhuman expectations.
• This is especially true when Asian American socio-economic status, although higher on average than other non-white groups, can actually vary hugely between different populations. Hmong and Vietnamese communities are usually extremely poor, for example.
• The society around you has been socialized into thinking that you can automatically succeed— so when you inevitably fail at something, teachers, guidance counselors, and others are less likely to perceive that you need help.
• Obviously, if you’re broke, your parents have no time to help you out, and you have to face a language or cultural barrier, there will be problems. If no one thinks that people who look like you can even have said problems, then you’re basically stuck in the middle of an ocean without much help.
• Having classmates ask you for answers, and not knowing them.
• Or, if you do know the answer, but you refuse to tell them, they bring up the “model minority” thing and then you’re in a double bind— prove you’re intelligent and buy into the stereotype, or do what is honest and then be seen as not “authentic”, a liar, rude, etc.
• You are automatically seen as less likely for a sexual or romantic partner because you might a) intimidate people with your smarts, or b) be an antisocial “nerd”
• If you want to do something that is not math or science, like English, then people think it’s weird, because you aren’t supposed to be there.
• If you decide that math or science is right for you, then you have to deal with lots of jokes about being where you “belong”.
• Having to deal with the expectation that you are well-behaved, “well-adjusted” (whatever that means), and quiet. If you are loud, stand up for yourself, etc., it is more likely to be seen as offensive than if a person of another group acted that way.
• If you succeed in class, your successes are automatically discounted based on your race (“oh, he’s asian! that explains his good grades”), rather than being praised as evidence of your hard work.
• Rarely ever receiving praise, because it is expected of you and not seen as something exceptional.
• Feeling as if you cannot raise your hand to ask questions in class, because someone will immediately draw attention to how you do not fit the intelligent stereotype. This, of course, only contributes to feeling like you are not smart enough.

These are only a few examples.

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   These are areally important things to know. Even if you’re Asian. I was well into high school before I started to...

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    All valid points but you also have to own up to the privilege of the model minority. Speaking from personal experience,...

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    YES. THIS. ALL THE TIME. HOLY CRAP.

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