Post 2: The Model Minority Myth Today

THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH TODAY

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After decades of stereotyping, subsequent generations of Asian Americans internalized these White-defined images of themselves and eventually conformed to those expectations, upholding the model minority myth up until the present day. 

Contributing Factor 1: Education

Education is one of the first things that come to mind when people think about Asian American success. Such success is measurable and easily comparable to the rest of the U.S. population. According to the Pew Research Center, over half of Asian Americans over the age of 25 (54%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 33% of the U.S. population. Many people attribute this high level of educational attainment to the supposed cultural backgrounds of Asian families. What comes to mind is the image of a strict, controlling “Tiger Mom” whose authoritarian parenting style drives her child to high levels of success at the cost of his or her mental and emotional well-being. 


U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2016.

This parenting style is largely criticized by Westerners for being too demanding for growing children, and they often reflect their negative opinions on any Asian student who does well in school, despite not all Asian parents being “Tiger Moms.” Many parents who adopt the “Tiger Mom” parenting style are not the product of monstrous Asian cultural values, but the result of pressure to achieve success in the Western world as immigrants. Naturally, as Asian people migrated to America, they were forced to work harder than ever to make a life for themselves, and in order to maintain that level of success for future generations, many pushed their children to also strive for success in school and their careers.


Contributing Factor 2: Socioeconomic Status

 

Pew Research Center, Median Annual Household Income, 2019.



High educational attainment also translates to generally higher levels of employment and socioeconomic status amongst Asian Americans. Asian Americans are most concentrated in the fields of management, professional, and other related occupations. Around 50% of Asian Americans work in these fields, compared to 38% of the U.S. population.

Furthermore, Asian Americans have also had the lowest unemployment rate out of any racial/ethnic group in America. When it comes to median household income, Asian American households make around $85,800 compared to $61,800 among all U.S. households. That being said, Asian Americans also have a lower poverty rate compared to the U.S. population of 10% to 13% in 2019. These statistics reveal only surface-level accomplishments, and while one might think these encompass all the best aspects of the model minority stereotype, they also acknowledge the absurdity of such a rigid standard.

Although Asian Americans have on average higher income levels than other racial minorities in the U.S., their experiences with racism in the workplace are largely related to the same stereotypes that contributed to their socioeconomic status. Although Asian Americans have made a significant blueprint on many different professional industries, stereotyping and racism has prevented them from reaching levels of success comparable to their White colleagues. Because the model minority stereotype masks discrimination that Asian Americans face, it also prevents them from achieving executive and managerial positions based on racialized stereotypes and resentment. The downside of the hardworking stereotype is that Asian Americans are also viewed as obedient and quiet, those who get their work done effectively without ambition to move up. Positive traits such as self-discipline and intelligence are also coupled with negative evaluations such as nerd and unsociable. In the end, these negative assumptions about Asian Americans override the supposedly positive ones, and in the workplace, it is the unfavorable stereotypes that persist and continue to barre Asian American employees from reaching higher positions of power.

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The achievements of Asian Americans may help to solidify the positive assumptions made about them according to the model minority stereotype, but these same accomplishments foster undeserved hatred and stigma for these individuals.


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