In general, stereotypes are something society should try and avoid. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “stereotype” as “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment.” They generalize the characteristics of a group of people, suppressing the true diversity of all groups of people. Despite some people appearing similar or having similar characteristics, diversity exists everywhere because of how all humans are different from each other.
Model Minority Myth
One of the main assumptions about Asian Americans is that they are much more successful in life and school than others. In schools, people assume that Asian Americans have good grades, do well in math classes, and will all find success as adults. While such a stereotype may sound complimentary to Asian Americans, it’s actually a harmful assumption of Asian Americans. By generalizing an entire group of people a certain way, society places unnecessarily high expectations on people and assumes that the entire group of people have similar experiences, even though some groups of Asian Americans may not place the same emphasis on education as other groups.
For instance, if an Asian-American student comes from a household that does not place much value on education, they may constantly be pressured to perform up to an unrealistic standard because of their ethnicity. Furthermore, an average performance by all means may still be considered worse due to their race. Expectations of performance should remain constant no matter what race a person is.
Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype
Another assumption that people make about Asian Americans is that they are not actually American and are more associated with their own countries despite many of them being involved in American society or born in the United States. By viewing Asian Americans as not truly American, people are excluding Asian Americans from their homes, making them feel isolated. This treatment can lead to negative effects on Asian Americans’ well-being.
All Asian Americans Are Bad Drivers
Generalizing that all Asian Americans are bad drivers is a common idea seen throughout the country. While there definitely are Asian Americans who are not good at driving, there are also many Asian Americans who are completely capable of driving. This phenomenon is seen across all groups of people, with some being great drivers and others not so much. Therefore, generalizing that Asian Americans are bad at driving despite many Asian Americans being competent drivers is a false statement.
All Asian Americans Have the Same Culture
People tend to group all Asian Americans together as one group with the same culture. While some countries may share influences from one another due to their proximity, people from different countries (even different parts of a single country) have many notable differences. For instance, on the surface, one may assume that China and Japan have the same culture, but in reality, the countries have many cultural differences from one another and even the different provinces within each country differ greatly from one another in terms of culture.
Both of my parents are from different parts of China. Even though they lived in the same country, their experiences and cultures had their differences. Such contrasts show how Asian Americans do not share the same culture despite many thinking so.
All Asian Americans Are Quiet and Submissive
On top of the other stereotypes, some people also believe that all Asian Americans are quiet and submissive. People may derive these assumptions from experiences with Asian Americans being more introverted and attentive to directions. While this observation is statistically true since Asian Americans tend to be quieter, assuming that all Asian Americans act one way is still an extreme belief. As mentioned earlier, generalizing one characteristic about an entire ethnic group does not work.
In my own life, I would classify myself as more of an introvert. However, some of my friends who are also Asian Americans have shown themselves as extroverts, willing to talk to anybody and being more assertive socially rather than submissive. Through these experiences, I can say that the generalizations that others make about Asian Americans are inaccurate.
How to Combat Stereotypes
To fight against stereotypes, it’s essential that we spread awareness about the truth of the situation so that people will cease to make harmful assumptions about groups of people. Therefore, the world can progress as a more fair and equal environment for all people.