For Asian women, 'fetish' is less than benign
For Asian women, 'fetish' is less than benign
Thursday, April 14, 2005
A week ago, InSight, the only Asian-American women's organization on campus, gathered for a weekly dinner meeting, and the topic of conversation turned to the prevalence of the "Asian fetish" in American culture. We discussed the social significance of this obsessive sexual fixation on Asian women in a larger context, including the stereotyped portrayal of Asian women in the media and its relation to the growing mail-order bride industry.
What we didn't realize at the time of the discussion was the disgusting form that this fetish had taken on a nearby college campus. Recently, Princeton graduate student Michael Lohman admitted to police that he had been silently terrorizing more than 50 Asian women on campus by clipping snippets of their hair, spraying them with his urine and pouring his semen or urine in their drinks at university dining halls when they weren't looking. After three years of these repulsive acts, investigators finally caught up with and arrested Lohman last week. They searched his campus apartment and found stolen underwear and women's hair stuffed into mittens that he had been using for sexual self-gratification.
Many might discredit this news as an isolated incident of perversity, but the fact is that there is a pattern in which Asian women are targeted for sexual fetishes, harassment and assaults, even on college campuses. For example, in 2000, two Japanese college women were abducted, raped, videotaped and told that if they told anybody what had happened, the videotapes would be sent to their fathers. The three white assailants admitted targeting Asian women precisely because they had a sexual fetish for "submissive" Asian women, but also because they believed that this same submissiveness and cultural shame would prevent the women from reporting the assaults. In 2002, N.C. State University student Lili Wang was stalked and murdered by Richard Borrelli Anderson, a white classmate who was infatuated with her and had admitted to a colleague that he had an Asian fetish.
Though it may be difficult to identify the exact origins of violence targeted at Asian women, there is no denying that media portrayal of this minority population has had an effect on building preconceived notions and shaping stereotypes of Asian women as passive, exotic and more easily dominated. Images of the Japanese Geisha girl, the South Asian seductress and the China doll pervade American culture and add to the misconception of Asian women. This has had disturbing results. For instance, in 2002, Jennifer Lynn Gossett and Sarah Byrne conducted a content-analysis study of 31 pornographic Web sites that advertised scenes depicting the rape or torture of women, and found that nearly half of the sites used depictions of Asian women as the rape victim.
Not only are Asian women disproportionately targeted in sex crimes, but they are also the least likely to report such incidents. Sex crimes are already grossly underreported, with only an estimated 26 percent of rape victims coming forward, but the percentage of Asian women who do so is even lower, at a mere 8 percent. Police hope that the Asian women will come forward about their harassment in the Princeton incident; however, the statistics tell us that it is not likely.
It is important not to lose sight of the 50-plus victims at Princeton. All of us have stories that we hear about, know about or have lived through. It is important for us to go beyond simply being outraged at such incidents and make sure we do something concrete, particularly in a way that establishes a support structure for victims. We need to be victim-centered in our approach, focusing on building community support for victims. Part of the reason why Asian women are not likely to come forward about their victimization in sex crimes is that many Asian cultures put the blame for such crimes on the women. They feel a sense of shame for having been the target of such attacks and feel that they might have done something wrong to invite the attack. It is these ideas and this culture that we must fight and abolish. The stigmatization of rape victims must end.
It may be easy to disregard the widespread existence of an Asian fetish as an "annoying" but essentially benign phenomenon that does not need to be taken seriously. But, as the Princeton episode demonstrates, we need to be aware of the violent and perverse forms it can take and its serious ramifications.
Sallie Kim is a senior in Calhoun College. Shannon Stockdale is a junior in Silliman College. They are co-chairs of InSight, the Yale chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum.
Comments
None 2 years, 10 months ago
Asian fetish is not used to describe a person who is in love with someone who happens to be Asian. Caring for and loving someone who is Asian does not mean this person has an Asia fetish, it simply means they love someone who is Asian.
Asian fetish is a phrase to describe an abnormal fixation on people who are Asian. Sometimes this is benign (though creepy), and sometimes it can be perverse and wrong (like the Princeton student). I know this example is silly, but consider it for a second. A pedophile may have sexual fantasies about children but may have enough sense to not act it out. Even so, he/she may still be gazing hungrily at children at a park… creepy. Similarly, someone with an Asian fetish can be seen hovering about a crowd of Asian women, staring hungrily… again, creepy. Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with admiring women of Asian decent (and something very wrong with being a pedophile), but this fixation can become unhealthy. I am an Asian woman, and I have been stalked and harassed by men with Asian fetishes. That is never a fun experience. I know that people of both genders and all ethnicities cab be victims, but there is no doubt in mind that these men’s perverse interest in me is due in great part to my Asian-ness. I also have had a some-what healthy relationship with someone with an Asian fetish.
So what’s my point? I have a couple. First, stop getting all upset over the phrase “Asian Fetish.” It’s not being used to describe YOU, who happen to be dating some one Asian. Second, it’s okay to have an Asian fetish. Just keep it in check. Third, this fixation can quickly, and occasional does, turn into something unhealthy, unwanted, and dangerous.
None 2 years, 11 months ago
I find the phrase "Asian fetish" very condescending and spiteful. So if a non-Asian falls in love with an Asian it is either because he or she is sick in the mind or they are psychologically imbalanced? Right, because who in their right mind would fall in love with an Asian? They are so ugly and inferior compared to the perfect blue eyed blonds or the gorgeous exotic hip swaying Hispanics. Therefore is only a "fetish" or a "phase" and it all shall pass and all the white men will go back and date and marry their white brides. What is wrong with Asians women or men? Do we no possess qualities that is worthy to be loved by all races on this earth? A recent comment from a coworker infuriated me so much I wanted to punch him in the face. He is Canadian and said that Asian fetish is only prevalent in the U.S (especially white men with Asian women) and he doesn't quite understand this "obsession" with Asian women. He said it is not common at all in Canada or Europe. You would never guessed this came out of a PhD's mouth. I said, "Really, can it be because there are more Asian population here in the US versus Canada and Europe and that the "Asian fetish" you are talking about is the eventuality of normal dating and mating of any two groups if you mix them in long enough? You fall in love with whoever you fall in love with, if it happens to be a different race then so be it. Phrases like "Asian fetish" only helps to make bigots find reasons to hate.
None 2 years, 11 months ago
to #4:
Wow. There is so much nonsense in your reply that it's breathtaking.
"As long as White men still in control of media and Hollywood, your TVs and Magazines will always be churning out Asian Fetishism messages."
--> Oh really? And what exactly is an "asian fetishism message?" This is part and parcel of the New Asian Racism coming up these days: to demonize the media for not including more Asian men. Further, this twisted logic goes, if there are not X% of Asian men in American media, then, by proxy, we are all trying to oppress Asian women and Asian people. Utter nonsense with no proof.
"Perpetuating White men's desire for Asian women is not the only thing Asian Fetishism trying to achieve. One the other side of the coin, Asian Fetishism is there to give White men a sense of empowerment amongst other races in the world. And to achieve this effect, the men of other races must be perceived as lower in status by women in general. This is where Hollywood comes in. When was the last time you see Asian men lead actors in a movie that is not a clown face or non-english speaking Kung Fu Masters?"
-->"Asian Fetishism is there to give White men a sense of empowerment?" OK, let me get this straight. Media executives all over the Western world have secretly plotted to make sure that the "Asian Fetishism Message" is planted in all of the shows, magazines, and movies, right?
How many Asian women in Hollywood movies who are NOT dating White men or who are NOT acting demure and turn to jelly in the accompany of White men?
--> Let me ask you a question, also. Take Korea, for example. How many times do you see Korean women in Korean dramas NOT dating Korean men or who are NOT acting demure and turn to jelly in the company of Korean men? Hmm. You see? Your silly criticism can be leveled both ways. The reason you do not hear the West making this criticism to Asia is because we consider it a silly issue to quibble about. Evidently you do not.
"It is also likely that Western governments may perceive Asian men as a threat to their nation's sovereignty because being White makes them the minority amongst a vast sea of Asians in the world. That is why descrimination towards Asian men are SECRETLY endorse by Western governments. What better way to suppress Asian men than to make women of their own race to not desire them."
--> OK. Now this is completely insane. Let me get this straight...again. You are saying that all Western governments have a secret conspiracy to make sure that Asian women do not think Asian guys are attractive? Uhu. OK. Right.
Listen. If you want to talk intelligently about cross-racial relations, then you really, really need to come up with some arguments that actually make sense. As it stands you are simply making yourself look unstudied, insecure, and sloppy with debate.
In any case, the New Asian Racism continues on.........
None 2 years, 11 months ago
As long as White men still in control of media and Hollywood, your TVs and Magazines will always be churning out Asian Fetishism messages.
Perpetuating White men's desire for Asian women is not the only thing Asian Fetishism trying to achieve. One the other side of the coin, Asian Fetishism is there to give White men a sense of empowerment amongst other races in the world. And to achieve this effect, the men of other races must be perceived as lower in status by women in general. This is where Hollywood comes in.
When was the last time you see Asian men lead actors in a movie that is not a clown face or non-english speaking Kung Fu Masters?
How many Asian women in Hollywood movies who are NOT dating White men or who are NOT acting demure and turn to jelly in the accompany of White men?
It is also likely that Western governments may perceive Asian men as a threat to their nation's sovereignty because being White makes them the minority amongst a vast sea of Asians in the world.
That is why descrimination towards Asian men are SECRETLY endorse by Western governments. What better way to suppress Asian men than to make women of their own race to not desire them.
None 3 years ago
Thanks to #2 for bringing light to a dangerous and racist trend among Asian Americans as they intentionally and irresponsibly demonize and racialize what is simply attraction between non-Asian men and Asian women. Frankly, it is shocking to me that more people are not speaking against this as racist and disturbing.
Are there some imbalanced men out there who are wierd? Yes, of course. Are there men of every race who might have odd attractions to Asian women -- including some Asian men? Of course. 97% of men who are simply attracted to Asian women (including Asian men) are NOT experiencing some sort of demented, tortured "fetish." This needs to be qualified in the discourse.
The very definition of racism is to make extremely negative, offensive, and general blanket statements about whole entire groups of people. That is exactly what is happening when you irresponsibly fail to qualify what happened in these violent, horrible incidents as the extreme exception: these were the rare, isolated exceptions, carried out by sick people who need to be locked up, and need psychological help. For you to not make a clear and deliberate distinction between these people, and two people who have an interracial relationship is academically shameful.
As a Yale graduate student, I am ashamed that this irresponsible, racist nonsense even appears on the News website and appears in Google search results.
None 3 years, 1 month ago
Once again more demonization of interracial relationships. Replace the words "asian women" with "white women", and "white men" with "black men" and this article wouldn't fly at all. This "fetish" nonsense has got to stop, we love who we love because we're in love with them. A handful of sickos out there are not a "trend" or something to be concerned about.
None 3 years, 2 months ago
"Part of the reason why Asian women are not likely to come forward about their victimization in sex crimes is that many Asian cultures put the blame for such crimes on the women."
Come on you are better than that. You need proof for that statement. Asian? In Asia, ALL Asian, Asian American? Thats a pretty broad statement that most likely will definately not fly in the 2nd, 3rd etc. generation homes of Asian American families that do not subscribe to such views. We are not all the same.
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