Week 12: Asian Stereotypes in Hollywood

In Chin’s, Sayonara Stereotypes: The Depiction of Chinese/Japanese Americans in Hollywood Cinema, she examines the stereotypical representations of Asians in Hollywood cinema. Asian females typically play demure and submissive characters or the dangerous dragon lady, whereas the Asian males are type casted into villains, gangsters, ninjas, martial art masters or as the “wimpy business man” (Chin, 2003). Furthermore, the different “Asian” ethnicities and culture are classified into one type of ethnicity and culture and portrayed as this stereotype. The representation of Asians in cinema affects one’s representation of Asians in one’s everyday life and interaction with Asians. Therefore, Asian individuals need to break the stereotype and be cast in different roles.

Source: Chin T. 2003. Sayonara Stereotypes: The Depiction of Chinese/Japanese Americans in Hollywood Cinema. Synergies. 2, 1, 1-6. (RL). 

Image source: http://pixabay.com/en/outline-man-silhouette-recreation-25770/