Embracing the Asian Stereotype

By Joanna (Tianchang) Zhang

 

I can’t count the number of times someone has commented on my resemblance to an Asian peer who is completely unrelated to me, or asked about my mathematics skills. As an Asian American, I am constantly judged based on the Asian stereotype of intelligence and hard work. It doesn’t help that I want to be a biomedical engineer, which is essentially a mix of the two “most popular” occupations of doctor and scientist.

An abundance of research has been done on the impacts of the Asian stereotype on Asian Americans. For Asian American students who face high outside expectations, common effects include higher stress and lower concentration, and tremendous pressure to follow the stereotype instead of pursuing individual goals. There are also unexpected consequences. In a recent study by Alexander Czopp, Aaron Kay, and Sapna Cheryan­­­¹ on positive stereotypes, the authors concluded that Asian American students oftentimes view their achievements in science and mathematics as insignificant because everyone else already assumes they have these skills. Many of my Asian American friends have often mentioned their dislike for compliments related to their STEM skills because they consider it a commentary on how “Asian” they are.

 

However, majority of the research on the Asian stereotype focuses on how we Asian Americans are affected by what other people think of us, in hopes of encouraging non-Asians to treat us in a non-stereotypical way. As Asian Americans, we are reliant on other people to recognize the problems associated with the Asian stereotype and to stop perpetuating this myth solely out of the kindness of their hearts. This dependence inherently places us in a subordinate position where our mental health and perceptions of our own identity is dictated by other people. It’s time for us to take back that control. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, in order for us to regain authority in determining our identities, I believe we need to start by embracing certain aspects of the Asian stereotype.

 

Yes, the idea that we are all overly focused on our academic achievements is a huge exaggeration, but that in itself shows our spirit of pushing through obstacles with determination and perseverance in order attain our desired results.

 

Yes, the idea that we all want to be doctors and scientists disregards the diversity within the Asian American population, but it also reflects our group’s drive to help others in the best ways possible.

 

Of course, that’s not to say that comments on our small eyes, treating Asian women as a “type”, and taking advantage of our perceived passiveness aren’t demeaning, but as Asian Americans, we should acknowledge the many positive sides of our stereotype.

 

Personally, I am proud to devote so much time and effort into my studies in order to get A’s in my classes, because it means that I have the perseverance and the self-control to work toward my goals. I am proud to have begun taking college math classes my junior year of high school because it meant that I finally understood the value of learning, which is to always pursue more. When people comment on how “good” I am at school in general, it means that despite being raised by only my father for the past eight years, on a low income and faced by numerous language barriers, I was able to push past it all to get to the place that I am at today. So yes, despite the fact that I almost completely fit the Asian stereotype, I am absolutely and unashamedly proud of my “Asian-ness”, because it shows my strength in overcoming obstacles, and means that I have the power to determine my own future instead of succumbing to what others think I should be.

 

The bottom line is: The Asian stereotype should not be regarded as a curse, because there are certain aspects of it that we as Asian Americans should be proud of. By embracing and being proud of who we are, other people lose the power to define us and influence us through the stereotype. Instead of waiting for others to stop hurting our feelings, we need to take pride in our heritage and the characteristics of our people as a whole. It’s time we recognize that there is some good embedded within the Asian stereotype.

 

1. Czopp, Alexander M., Kay, Aaron C., Cheryan, Sapna. “Positive Stereotypes Are Pervasive and Powerful”. Perspectives on Psychological ScienceJuly 2015  10 no. 4 451-463. Sage Pub.

 

“Joanna is a freshman at Columbia University majoring in Biomedical Engineering. In her free time, she likes to eat ramen and explore New York City with her friends.”