The Modern Asian Male as Seen by the Media

Modern Asian male archetypes/stereotypes seem to emphasize a lack of individuality and sexuality.

Kung Fu Master

Bruce Lee, the man who made this archetype

Made famous by Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan.

The Kung Fu master is a silent and mysterious. He is a steely, cold projection of strength. However, when combined, these qualities make the kung-fu master seem inhuman. As a result, the Kung Fu master lacks a real personality while his knowledge of Kung Fu makes him seem "dangerous, exotic, and menacing" (Cheng, et al). The Kung Fu master stereotype can go hand-in-hand with poking fun at Asian culture. Sometimes, the Fung Fu master will "speak in broken English or shout highly stereotypical sounds" (Cheng, et al). Cheng et al uses the example of Parappa the Rappa, a character in a video game for children. Parappa teaches the main character Kung Fu. His speech is characterized by a heavy accent and poor language.

In rare cases, the Kung Fu master can also be a female "martial arts mistress." Like the Kung fu master, she is "cold, distant, steely, capable, with emotions kept in check" (Prasso 87).

Emasculated "Computer Nerd" Asian Male

 

Examples: Hiro from Heroes, Kevin from Supernatural

 

The emasculated Asian male is your typical geeky, socially awkward, and unattractive nerd. This widely seen stereotype is conducive to the Asian "model minority" belief. These Asians are the academic achievers - the "extremely studious, serious, shy, mathematically inclined and lacking in social skills and outside skills" students (Kibria 32). As a result, this "Asian nerd" stereotype "embodies qualities that are fundamentally antithetical to individuality" (Kibria 32). In this stereotype, Asians are almost seen as robots or machines; they ultimately lack individuality. Kibria also claims the "idea of foreignness is also deeply embedded in this image. The deficient social skills, passivity, and orientation towards math and technical subjects... suggest a certain lack of comfort and familiarity with the norms and expectations of U.S. culture." Usually coupled with clothing like huge rimmed glasses, waist-high pants, and geeky sweater vests, it's not hard to imagine the Asian nerds as perpetual foreigners and outsiders.

The kung-fu master and the emasculated computer nerd are the two predominant images of the Asian male. Although they are contradictory images, Tsang states that both of them "render [the Asian male] desexualized" (126). The kung-fu master is depicted as too stoic to be capable of love. He is almost inhuman and incapable of the feelings that are conducive to sex. The Kung Fu master is asexual, while the nerdy Asian male is too emasculated and unattractive to be able to have sex. According to Tsang, "the penis is missing in the dominant representation of the Asian male" (126). Indeed, in the media, the MANAA states that Asian men are "almost never positively paired with women of any race." In the past, Asian men in the form of Fu Manchu were depicted as "threatening corrupters of white women." It seems that with the advent of Charlie Chen, modern Asian men are depicted as either "lacking any romantic feelings," as seen in the Kung Fu master, or unable to attract women, as seen in the computer geek.

References

Cheng, Joy, Charles Hsieh, Scott Lu, and Sarah Talgo. "Asian American Males in the Media." Media Representations of Asians. N.p.. Web. 9 Dec 2012. <http://sitemaker.umich.edu/psy457_tizzle/home>.

 

Kibria, Nazli. "College and Notions of ‘ W a n American”: SecondGeneration Chinese and Korean Americans Negotiate Race and Identity." Amerasia Journal. 25.1 (1999): 29-51. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://aascpress.metapress.com/content/x50832234v728659/>.  

Tsang, Daniel C. "Notes on Queer 'N Asian Virtual Sex." Amerasia Journal. 20.1 (1994): 117-128. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://aascpress.metapress.com/content/24j7n8631p57m276/>.