Family Guys and Asian Stereotypes

       

     In the last class of Imagines of Asians and Asian Americans, we have watched several clip of Asian stereotypes that have been displayed in a quite famous American cartoon, it is called Family Guys. In name of cartoon, it actually mostly involves adults’ topics that prefer not to be seen or learned by children.

In three clips of Family Guys, I saw the cartoon making fun of China’s one-child policy, everything tiny that Asian girls love and  underpaid employers in a Chinese workshop. More or less, I feel the intensity for people work in the screen to save the image of Asians or Asian Americans. During this semester, Prf. Tung showed us at least 11 movies that either directed by Asian or Asian American, or played by Asian or Asian American actors and actresses. I want to list all sorts of imagines I saw or learned from this class:

·         Asians always play the bad guys and Caucasians are the good guys who save the day.

·         Asians are undesirable. They are weak, obedient and asexual.

·         Rather than playing super heroes who save the world single handedly, Asians are reduced to being shy and humble sidekicks.

·         They portray Asians as lacking in leadership, innovation and motivation. 

·         The Hollywood moves always portray Asian woman as docile and erotic which means that they are China dolls.

·         All Asian students are expected to excel in school and never cause trouble.

     Either you are an Asian or not, I believe you have seen either one on the list of the imagines of Asian or Asian American. I just want to say that it could be dumb to think every single person as same as those stereotypes. Be more observable and do not mistake anyone for what you see through media products.