"I have a thing for Asians." Everyone has heard this phrase at least once in their life, said to them or to someone else. While this is commonly heard or said, it is not commonly questioned. What does “Asian thing” really mean? Asian women in America are victims of cultural and ethnic fetishization. America fetishizes Asian women as two popular stereotypes, one of the shy, docile, and obedient woman and the other of the hypersexual exotic woman. These labels and stereotypes create oppressive circumstances and terrorism for Asian women, including assault, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. To support my claim, I will provide evidence and explain my research regarding the mainstream media's portrayal of Asian women, human trafficking and commercialized "mail order brides", the military presence, and the network of brothels that existed during the Second World War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay A few years ago, the video “What Do Western Men Think About Asian Women?” was circulating on Youtube. It brought to light a conversation that many people have chosen to ignore, the intersectional sexism and oppression that Asian American women face. Nearly all the men in the video said Asian women were “submissive,” “quiet,” “sexual,” and “good wives.” All of these beliefs are EXTREMELY dangerous! These widespread beliefs are used to justify men's abusive and oppressive behavior towards Asian women. 80% of Asian women have reported or reported some form of sexual violence or abuse. The reason for these numbers lies in dangerous stereotypes that invite sexual violence. Asian fetishization is not only a current problem, but it is a problem that can be seen throughout history. One of the major contributors to the fetishization of Asian women in America is military influence. Wars such as World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War have greatly influenced the image of Asian American women today. After World War II, the United States adopted the sex service worker system used by the Japanese and disguised it as the Recreation and Amusement Association. After the Vietnam War, over 300,000 Asian women were involved in the sex industry. The Korean War caused an increase in overseas adoptions (Park pp.32). It was believed that Asian genetics would create a beautiful family. The presence of the United States military in these countries has promoted and financed the sex industry. One of the major common occurrences that promote Asian fetishization is “mail order brides.” Mail order brides are women purchased through a system that involves men, generally from North America, searching through photographs with short descriptions to find their “perfect” wife (McClelland 2002). Filipino women have a higher percentage of mail order brides than any other country. Filipino women are believed to be faithful and caring mothers, which would make the perfect wife (McClelland 2002). Mail order brides have encouraged human trafficking, many women who are mail order brides have been victims of human trafficking. These labels like “housewives” and “photo wives” encourage men to seek out and desire Asian women for their sexual and family lives. The spread of these ideas and stereotypes about Asian women has caused this industry to boom and prosper. The.
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