On the whole, is the portrayal of Asian men in American media “desexualized and emasculated”?
That’s the stinging accusation made by actor and self-professed “basketball junkie” Jake Choi in a fascinating interview with Salon published this week.
Related: Asian Man Fed Up With Being Ignored By The “White-Painted Gay Community”
Choi–who plays a gay stylist (the romantic lead) in the upcoming summer rom-com Front Cover–spends much of the lengthy interview lamenting the dearth of Asian roles for actors, and the overall lack of Asian American representation in entertainment. (It’s a concern echoed in recent social media campaigns like the #whitewashedout and #starringJohnCho hashtags, and the in-depth New York Times feature on Asian-American invisibility.)
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Related: Margaret Cho Blasts AbFab Movie For Casting White Actor As Asian Character
The actor–who in 2013 apologized for facetiously using the term “No Homo” by saying “I’m the most gay friendliest straisian there is”–has a number of incisive insights into the current state of Asian representation.
Here’s Choi on the conspicuous lack of Asian male sex symbols:
Asian woman can be with a white man because you’re not compromising white male sexuality and dominance and perception and straight white male insecurity. Asian men are emasculated. Ads do a better job than films to portray sexy Asians. When Jet Li and Aaliyah made “Romeo Must Die” they shot a kissing scene, but it was cut from the film. An Asian man kissing a woman is never shown, which is the emasculation.
On the difficultly in getting lead male roles because of his ethnicity:
I feel like studios or networks or producers will ask the casting offices, put “open ethnicity” for the breakdown so they don’t get criticized. It may be a SAG-AFTRA law. They bring in ethnic and non-ethnic actors they know, but once they do that, they cast it straight white, but ethnics get seen. My white friends who are actors say that I’m lucky that I got the audition, but I say, “Look who got the role!”
On how the media portrays Asians (in the rare instances that it does):
We are all human beings. It’s not like it won’t serve the story if the characters are not Caucasian. Asians are just as human and three-dimensional as everyone else. Mass media is not reflecting that. Asian men are not seen having a girlfriend or a boyfriend, but in real life you see Asians with black, white, Latino partners. The media portrays it in another way, and it changes perception of and for Asians and non-Asians. There are people who are conscious of it, but others are conditioned by it.
What do you think of Choi’s commentary? How can studious improve the amount of roles–and the quality of representation–for Asian-Americans? Weigh in in the comments below…
miniskull
You want to know we can solve this issue yet you don’t dare to make any initiative to contribute to the change of people’s perception, Queerty? Do you understand the media power that you and other LGBT websites have? Do you actually agree with this guy’s opinion or you just try to be politically correct (without showing your authentic stand in this issue)? Obama was the the very first president to come out and voice his support to the LGBT when the support for gay-marriage was really low. And look where’s it get us: we got legal gay marriage Americans’ perception about LGBT has improved tremendously day-by-day. So it’s time for you, Queerty, to actually say and do something about it. If you feel the argument is too tiresome, then just simple feature more Asian and other non-white models and hot guys. It’s not so hard now to do so with the existence of Tumblr, Instagram. Trust me, in a long term, it’ll be a win-win situation for all of us!
DCFarmboy
While I think this is an important issue and I suspect he is right on what he says, but I’m not impressed with this article. He makes a lot of subjective observations and then isn’t aware of exactly what his own union is doing.
Miss Understood
Jake Choi, if you want to feel sexy and sexualized please come up and see me some time!
Marky
I don’t think it’s as simple as race. There are a lot of physical characteristics that must be in play that bridge various races. I think it has to do with the narrowly defined concept of the so-called ideal man. Most white men don’t even live up to the image, to be honest.
Me2
I agree with him. The media has helped to shape perceptions of Asian men as being less masculine and physically inferior. I think studio’s need to take diversity to the next level and develop more multi-dimensional leading roles for minority actors.
Billy Budd
Of course he is right.
GC1985
@Me2: Not just the media, but our community too. Just look at a recent thread about white men viewing themselves as more desirable than any other race.
We even have people on this site (like heavy beercan lifter) defending r@cist ideas and stereotypes. It is rather nasty and disgustingly hypocritical.
Dave Downunder
It’s true. Asian men are rarely cast as leading men or tough guys unless they are some sort of Yakuza martial arts warrior or a similar role. There are quite a few who are cast as the brainy support guy or doctors or tech guys or some as police officers but not the lead. I guess it is perceived that they don’t exude the physical stature or presence needed for leading man roles. Having said that there are a surprising amount of short actors in Hollywood and on TV who get lead roles. Just look at Queerty favourite Zack Efron he’s only 5’6″.
Stache
Depends of coarse on the Genre but usually the sex roles go to the leads and those tend to be Caucasians.
TV shows are better at showing Asian men and sexuality. One of my fav shows is the walking dead and the Asian guy and his girl friend are a main part of the show.
Blackceo
This all comes down to what sells. He, of course, is right in his analysis. But the world pushes the ideals of Eurocentric beauty in advertising, film, and TV. But yes Asians are few and far between in leading roles, particularly regarding anything romantic. I think there are a few out there who get the “she/he’s hot for an Asian”, which is the worst fucking thing you can say. Like really…anyone who says “he’s cute for a Black guy” or “she’s cute to be dark” is already showing you have an image that most of the people in that particular group are undesirable.
I don’t know how much the whole “Asian guys have small penises” thing comes into play as well. Masculinity is seen so much through a lens of penis size so the stereotypes that come into play with that I think lend to this view of seeing Asian men in a sort of asexual sort of way. But Choi makes good points.
DCguy
@Blackceo:
But also, it isn’t just “What Sells”, it’s what the old bigots in charge of the studio think what will sell.
Remember, the CEO of Marvel was e-mailing the studio attacking the idea of a superhero movie lead by a woman, saying movies with women leads don’t sell. But when a poll was taken as to which superhero should have the next franchise Black Widow won hands down.
But try telling that to that CEO, he doesn’t want to hear it. Just like the people who cast Emma Stone as an Asian woman in Aloha didn’t want to hear it.
Kangol
@miniskull: Yes, yes, yes!
@GC1985: Yes, yes, yes!
@DCguy: Yes, yes, yes!
I’ve complained again and again about how Queerty itself will have nearly an entire page of headlines and images and NOT ONE includes an Asian American or Asian man, and very few include Black or brown-skinned Latino or Native American or mixed race men. It’s often just a sea of whiteness. OK, maybe that’s what your readership wants. But if you’re posting about important conversations that Jake Choi is raising, be honest about your complicity, and do something to change it. This country and globe are increasingly diverse, so play a role in creating media that reflect that, please!
missuniverse
Well, I live in a community where many Filipino gays live and most of the Filipino Gays I know are extremely feminine.
The guys already appear very feminine and those are the ones that are not even wearing drag. They all want to be a beauty pageant queen..
Their mannerisms are also way out of the Gay Radar. I have yet to meet a “masculine looking” Filipino Gay.
Also, most Filipinos I know are nurses and hair stylists.
They also often pay for boys to have sex with them
I wonder why all this is so ?
rmarin776
I’m trying to comment here but my posts are not going up. Anyone else having this issue? I’m not posting anything negative of controversial, I don’t think.
rmarin776
Weird… maybe my post was too long?
I just wanted to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by all the comments here supporting gay Asian men, and gay men of color in general. I haven’t seen so much of that in the comments on other gay sites. I also agree with the comments here that the solution is to showcase more images of gay men of color. So much of our beauty ideals are shaped by these.
rmarin776
Still cannot post the rest of my comment. I don’t understand what about it is being censored.
assiandude
I agree that the media which reflects the culture emasculates non-white males but especially Asian men. There must be anthropologic reasons why this is so, but the media has a strong role in shaping that perception. I’m in my 60s and just the presence of Asians in the public eye has changed dramatically lagging behind African Americans and Latinos, but the lack of sexuality for Asian males is quite striking. This is changing but historically, it requires recognition and then a conscious effort to effect change.
Hussain-TheCanadian
I think this is an American problem and issue more so than any other nations when it comes to Asian men and woman. Here in Canada, British Columbia is 45% Asian, and you’ll see Asian men with non-Asian woman, and you’ll see Asian woman with non-Asian men (not to mention inter-Asian dating/marriage). In Saskatchewan, we have a large Native population (we call them first nations) and they date everybody. Also in Quebec, 30% of the population is a non-french minority, including Anglophones, Asians, East Indians, Arabs, and black Africans, and everyone is dating everyone (the French are really open minded as long as you try to speak French).
In my province of Nova scotia, along with the rest of the maritime provinces, and maybe Alberta, where there is a dominant white population, and honestly there are no issues regarding race; my cousins are married to Anglo-Canadians.
On American television, it seems to me that Asian woman are presented as either timid, or Nefim Nikita type assassins, while Asian men are either domineering or mobsters. So i kind of agree with Jake Choi, but it seems to be an American cultural phenomena than anything.
On a final note, I would love to make you loved and appreciated Jake, you are a beautiful man.
spacecadet
Missuniverse – I’ve seen effeminate gay men of every race, it’s not just limited to Filipino gay men. You may know or have across Filipino men who are actually gay but didn’t realize it because it’s not obvious. You can’t always tell when someone is gay.
Violent Rainbow
Masculine Asian gays are like 1 in a million, I have yet to encounter one let alone one that has a masculine body type to match the personality. They’re born twinks.
Poncho Sanchez
I think hollywood has a masculinity issue regardless. Not many alpha male actors these days and the 1980s crew ei. Stallone, Gibson, Russell, Segal, Willis etc. are aging out of the roles…..now it’s weenies like Dicaprio, Wahlberg and Downey.
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
Oh look the same article again by some queen that read the last one and thinks he’s clever and discovered something new.
ShowMeGuy
Asian men are hotter than fuck and I wish there were more of them standing around so that I might be able to meet one of them. I can go all day without seeing an Asian man and I live in a university town crawling with Asians….They need to quit hiding.
jonasalden
@Marky: Yet most men who DO live up to the general ideal and therefore get these roles ARE White men, so the problem for Jake Choi and other Asian actors is personally evident.
jonasalden
And though I know nothing of his acting skills, what IS clear is that Jake Choi is hotter than the ninth plane of hell. A bit of a turn-off though that he fell into the dude trap of “no homo”. Disappointing given his experiences and dilemma, straight or not.
Poncho Sanchez
@assiandude: actually, with the karate genre in the 1970s, and the old godzilla and WWII movies from the 1950s and 1960s, Asian men had quite a masculine identity…..warriors, explorers, fighters, business men… it’s a recent trend for Asian men to have metro-sexual status. Again, I assert that hollywood has a masculinity issue and this happened when gays took over central casting..the Hollywood gays seek out the twinks for their casting couch.
ppp111
Can we stop writing about this? Seriously, we already know all this. Griping about this isn’t gonna help.
Kangol
@ppp111: Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. Talking about it may raise some people’s consciousnesses.
@Hussain-TheCanadian: Great points. But I don’t see that many Asian-Canadians in films coming out of Canada, for example. Or Canadian TV shows. Are there any you recommend with Asian-Canadian beyond DeGrassi High?
captainburrito
It’s hard for asian american actors because the ones that hollywood will cast do not appeal to those in asia. It is easier for them to make it big in asia and then come back to the US with an existing fanbase.
cabe
He is totally right. I don’t know why there was a big deal at oscar time made about the fact that there are no black women in films or Tv? There are at least 20 times more black folk represented than Asians = particularly Asian men. They are usually typecast in small roles as nerds or kung fu masters but never as leading men.
unreligious
Yet if you watch Bollywood movies or Chinese movies they have even less diversity and no-one says a word about that.
ppp111
@unreligious:
I’ve heard that argument before and sorry it doesn’t wash. China and India are hardly countries of diversity. I mean how many white or black people do you find wandering the streets of your average Indian or Chinese city. I understand what you’re trying to imply but I don’t think those two genres are good examples.
@Kangol:
I’m not saying we should ignore it but let’s be honest here. These actors knew what kind of industry they were going into. Now they complain about the lack of opportunities for ethnic and Asian actors? I’m not saying ethnic actors surrender or give up but just asking them to look in the mirror and ask why are they in this industry. I would think more opportunities would be available abroad such as Hong Kong, Korea, etc. The Hollywood machine knows what it wants to see and show. Sorry, it’s not the Asian face.
martinbakman
My BF is Asian, by nice married an Indian dude, and my neighbor married a Malay dude. So my white world has Asians all up in here.
If you like good comedy check out Aziz Ansari live streaming on Netflix. He is hella cute, gay friendly and so Fvcking clever and awesome.
I personally am drawn to John Cho ever since Harold and Kumar. Yeah my secret vice. He is also gay friendly. Always lovely to learn that about famous folks. John Cho gets a lot of work. He is an awesome actor. It did break my heart when his character was killed off so early in the remake of Total Recall. That was a dumb Hollywood move.
So yeah, Hollywood still has too many old white dudes that don’t know a cute talented Asian dude from a hole in the ground, but those old farts are quickly aging out. I think I’ll go watch my copy of Life or Pi.
Bob LaBlah
I noticed the guy was Chinese. The Japanese not only do not give one damn about how they are portrayed in the media but also have the highest incomes of all “minority” groups in America.
Blackceo
@DCguy:
Yes thats a very good point. The people who are the power players in making advertising, film, and TV decisions are typically not people of color. We need more diversity in the power positions to create a paradigm shift that doesn’t show Asian men and other people of color in such a light.
@Kangol:
Totally agree regarding how there is such a lack of display of Afro Latinos. Pisses me off when people think all Puerto Ricans look like Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez. Umm no. Puerto Ricans come in all shades, hair textures, features. But of course the White Puerto Ricans are the ones put up as the most desirable ones. Same goes for Dominicans and Brazilians and any ethnic group that runs the gamut of light to dark.
Nahald
It was my understanding (spoken with sarcasm) that people wanted their TV characters equally distributed on screen ny percentage of their actual population statistics in the U.S. So Asians are way down on the list after Blacks and Hispanics.
galatians328
Of course the general argument is accurate.
But there are exceptions.
E.g. in the FOX TV show Glee the hot-test guy – by far – was not the
WASP straight queen character – who as a real person was so sick and stupid that he stayed an addict while being fabulously famous and wealthy and then killed self …
was not the
the emotionally-dysregulated stupid Jewish punk character
was not the
endless lineup of FOX-stereotyped ‘faggy’ characters [ FOX, owned by profound social conservatives, making profits off stereotyping characters ]
BUT was, in fact, the
Asian-American character
n900mixalot
John Cho is FOINE but one thing, Black with Asian? LOLOLOLOL uh no. Asian folks love Black people as novelties and that’s as far as it goes. Oil and water. Not in my back yard. So on and so forth. It’s a shame because we have a lot of culture in common and make stunning, talented, gorgeous babies!
OutInTheOC
Come to Orange County, California and you will see some amazingly sexy, beautiful, toned, brilliant, smart, and OH SO HOT!!!!!! Asian guys…..I live in Irvine and they are EVERYWHERE…….including my husband (from China) and his friends. During the summer months……tank tops, shorts, and flip flops………HEAVEN!
Tackle
@cabe: Yes he’s right, but you are dead wrong. So stop it with your lies and mis-information… There was no big deal made about there being no Black women in films or TV. The outcry was about lack of diversity among the nominees, and later about the lack of diversity among the Academy members themselves. It was never solely about Black women, but rather non-Whites in general… So stop trying to make this a Black vs Asian thing.
Hussain-TheCanadian
@Kangol: You’re absolutely right Kangol we don’t have a lot of Asian men in Canadian movies or TV shows, but to be honest our movie/TV shows industry isn’t strong at all, and most Canadian actors work/live in the United states.
Theater is pretty strong in Canada and the diversity really shines there, from Asians to black Canadians, to every body else.
I don’t know if you had the chance to watch this really nice gay themed Chinese series, but I recommend it. It’s called “Heroin” – It shows the purity, sincerity, and humanness of gay love; God damn Chinese censors took it off the air.
spacecadet
@Violent Rainbow: I’ve met plenty of masculine gay Asian met with hot built bodies. I’m not going to perpetuate stereotypes like you are.
spacecadet
*men
Ridpathos
I think a large part of why so many women and men find Asian people unattractive is because Hollywood and media always cast the most unattractive Asian men in any role. There are so many hot Asian male actors out there, but the only Asian male actors that get cast are ones that are unattractive so that they can be used as the butt of jokes and made to seem inferior. Most directors are afraid to use hot Asian male actors because they don’t want them to outshine the white actors.
Because of this limited representation in media, it fuels the whole “no asians” discrimination seen on dating apps for both gay and straight hook-ups. That’s because the picture that these people see in their heads when they think Asian are these unattractive stereotypes that they see on TV or in films.
heavylifter
@Ridpathos:
No, its the flat noses, narrow eyes and over all facial bone and skull shape we don’t find attractive.
You can’t say the same for female asians because there are enough straight guys who are interested in them.
Asian features are advantageous for females and a disadvantage for males in the sexual market place.
Ox2041
The problem isn’t limited to just American society or Gay community. In part it also has to do with Asian Society itself and the trends, particularly with the “Halyu” or Korean wave and everything it stands for. The whole “flower boys” concept and subsequent “fan service” developed by Asian entertainment industry does sets a certain standards for male beauty that a certain Asian women population after. It is normal in Asia, but these “effeminate” male images of K-pop and K-drama stars, that are sweeping Asia and actually nothing to do with any of them being gay and such, are just not yet the new normal in the West.
GC1985
@heavylifter: Oh look guys… It is the white supremacist bigot who hides under a fake username he can’t quite explain. Beer can heavy lifter is back at it with stereotypes and lies. I’m sure he is not much to look at. Probably all those beers he chugs.
Kathy Green
I find Asian men very sexy!