As someone who's had three family members in Asian gangs, it still boggles my mind how some of them can go from straight As and a clean sheet to being this Larenz Tate O-Dogg wannabe living in a VERY well-off economic neighborhood. I don't understand the motive to join a gang when you're not socially "forced" into it.

I see. The "model minority" stereotype ignores the potential for in-group variations. Among other things, it creates the image of Asians as "mystical" or "exotic" to the point of superhuman status. All Asians fit these stereotypes because, well, "that's how Asians are and what Asians do."

1. So, all Asians race Hondas and play DDR. Afterall, they aren't worried about what OTHER PEOPLE are worried about. Their minds are different, so they are different than "regular" humans.

2. All Asians know martial arts. Asians have supernatural powers like Mr. Miyagi and can fight like Jet Li. You will rarely find an Asian leading man who isn't a martial artist or have some "mystical powers" of some sort.

Do you think the "acting white" stereotype may be an attempt to combat the "model minority" stereotype?

to justify why they want to date interracially or to put down asian men. it's quite ridiculous. if you (not you, but asian women in general) don't find all or even most asian men attractive or suitable to date, just say so and call it a day. don't blame it upon family problems that occur at home. it's ridiculous to say that even most asian men are a certain way. i still help my folks out, but best believe i'm quite independent and many of my asian male friends are as well.

i have, and i'll pass.

that has a lot on how young asian americans view themselves. pop culture has taught us whatever we feel about our own. unfortunately it has been quite negative upon the young asian american psyche. all you see in the media are the following stereotypes:

dragon lady - sensual seductress (can't think of any examples off of the top of my head)
nerd - asexual geek (charlie chan, asian dude off of law and order)
karate man - asexual martial arts hero (jackie chan)

i would say that only reinforces the stereotype.

I agree with that to take it further....I guess it's on both sides. As an Asian stuck in this paradox, it's often difficult to find an identity when stuck between two sides...

i'm not stuck. i'm me.

That's just like the "double consciousness" found in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and W.E.B DuBois' The Souls of Black Folks in which he addresses the dual identity.

The literature is limited, but I want to read more on the "double consciousness" of Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans.

Being "stuck" isn't always expressed consciously. "Stuck" is probably a bad choice of words. Your posts in this thread read like you're "stuck," though. ;)

You can still be you and be "stuck." I'm me and I have a "double consciousness," as well. ;)

i guess i'm stuck, then. subconsciously.

Let's put it this way. Despite the many friends I have of very various ethnicities, I still get shown disrespect from preppy rich white folks who don't think I deserve to be amongst them and their kind because I didn't grow up with the same advantages and oppotunities they did (ie, I didn't have daddy's money), as well as from Filipinos who don't accept me because my interests and personality are completely different.

It's not ALL white people or ALL Asians, though living at frat row, I see it from a lot more white folks....

I think another aspect of the whole interacial dating thing is that as Asian-Americans we don't see many Asian ideals of beauty in American media. We usually see the white ideal of beauty and that becomes ingrained in us...that we should strive to look like that and that we should look for partners like that. I'm definitely very white-washed, even in my taste in men. I can identify good-looking Asian guys, but they don't do anything for me. I'm into white guys. And I wonder how much of that is culturally influenced. If I had grown up in Asia, would I still feel the same way? Or would I like Asian guys but not white guys?

An example of a dragon lady would be like any role that Lucy Liu has ever played. Like in Charlie's Angels, she's a vixen but she dates a white guy and doesn't give the Asian guy a second glance.

I find it hard to seriously date other "white-washed" Chinese guys because once their parents find out that their son is dating Chinese girl, their standards and expectations change. They expect you to be more "culturally Chinese", and more "aware" of issues in the old country. In other words, they expect you to be "Chinese." My parents are like that too. They have different standards once it comes to dating Chinese and non-Chinese guys.