Model Minority is a term that has been used predominantly in the United States to identify a minority demographic (whether based on ethnicity, race or religion) whose members are perceived to achieve a higher degree of socioeconomic success (education, income, profession, etc), especially when compared to other minority groups.
Model minority is often applied to Asian Americans, who, as a group, are often praised for apparent success across academic, economic, and cultural domains—successes typically offered in contrast to the perceived achievements of other racial group.
Model Minority Myth
The concept of the model minority is built on positive stereotypes of a particular ethnic group, for example Asians work hard and are good at math. While these characterizations of an entire grouping of people may seem positive and therefore not harmful, the use of stereotypes erases the differences among individuals. This myth overlooks the fact that Asian Americans are a diverse group of people, with unique cultures, backgrounds, and aspirations.
Racial Fetishization as taking a sexual desire towards someone for their ‘exotic’ physical and cultural attributes they possess, specific to their race group. For example, skin, physical features, cultural practices and so on (Vera, n.d.).
Yellow Fever is the derogatory term used to describe a fetish for Asian, in particular Asian women, which is rooted in the stereotypes of Asian women being subservient, passive, and quiet, while also exotic and seductive (Chang, 2006), creating a trope of the hypersexual but docile Asian woman (Ramirez, 2021).
You will find more infographics at Statista
Educational Resources:
Two lesson plans developed by ADL's Education team:
Reports
Learn more about the recent wave of attacks against the AAPI community and the intersection between misogyny and white supremacy in these two publications:
In the News:
"I didn’t know I was Asian American until I was a sophomore at Tufts. I always knew I was Korean, but being Asian American was not a part of my identity until I went to college. As part of my training as an Asian American Peer Leader, we met each week and learned about the Japanese American internment camps during World War II, the stereotypes of Asian women as the sexual goddess Suzy Wong, and the stereotypes of Asian men as the emasculated, nerdy, kung-fu expert. Another critical moment in my awakening as an Asian American woman was when I took a Race Awareness class at Tufts. I clung onto the two other students of Asian descent for emotional safety, and I finally began to understand the experiences of my Black and Latino classmates. I hope that you explore the diversity of resources available and continue your education as an activist. We cannot stop learning until we have won the battle against racism."—Mrs. Cathy You
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