Model Minority: What it is and what it means for Asian Americans

What is the "Model Minority"?

The "Model Minority", according to an article from the Harvard Law School, is "a minority group perceived as particularly successful, especially in a manner that contrasts with other minority groups". This term could elude to many different things: socioeconomic status, academic success, etc. More recently, however, the model minority is a term typically used to describe Asians. 

There is an ongoing stereotype of Asians in academic settings where there is a high bar and expectation for Asian students to perform well. If they do not perform well, they are typically met with some form of ridicule or teasing from their peers. Comments like "you're not a true Asian", or "if you're Asian, why are you so bad at (subject)". What many people do not know, however, is that students typically receive a similar comments at home. Growing up and surrounded by friends who were raised in Korean households, not sticking to the social norm around Asians were usually met with comments such as "you are a disgrace to this family" or "you will become poor and will not succeed in life" from their parents and grandparents.

This rigorous standard is not only in America, but in Asian countries as well. Many high school students in Korea will spend anywhere from 8-12 hours either studying for exams/assignments or attending tutor sessions to get ahead of their peers. Because of this difficult lifestyle, many students become depressed from the amount of time spent studying. According to the statistics, suicide is the number one cause of death among teens and young adults, with around 1 per 10,000 people dying. In 2017, 37.9% of young adults said that they suffered from some form of chronic stress due to the fast-moving academic and work lifestyle.  

After hearing these comments from the people around them, I believe students tend to either fall into two categories:

A) Students will embrace the "Model Minority" target placed on their back and do whatever it takes to make sure that they are the one of the top-performing students in their class. This could lead to overworking and suffering from chronic stress and even cheating on exams to ensure that they stay at the top. 

B) Students will reject this idea and will distance themselves from their academics. This leads to falling school grades and getting into unsavory things such as drugs and alcohol. It is the rejection of the model minority ideal and "making a name for themselves.

Here's a great video that outlines the Asian-American model minority stereotype, and how it is destructive to students.

What could we do to combat this?

Historically, we know that this "model minority" stereotype is ultimately very harmful for Asians. Asians tend to receive less aid and support when it comes to academics goals. This racial stereotype is further enforced when you see Asians in positions of power: "that Asian person studied hard, which is why they are a doctor now". How do we compete against this?

It's simple, really. We have to keep an open mind. 

I think dismantling racism in America is no easy task, by all means. It is evident with all the protesting and rioting at the capitol that there are many citizens who hold misconceptions and underlying racist beliefs when it comes to people of color. America is divided by political ideals and there is no unity amongst one another. And for Asians, it's no different. 

We, as Americans, need to keep an open mind when it comes to Asians. We need to recognize that despite "looking similar" (which I've never understood the sentiment), our individual experiences are so different from one another. One Asian man's experience will be completely different from another. By uplifting the stories of Asian Americans and shining a light on the more intimate details of their lives, people may come to recognize that they had their fair share of struggles as well.