I recently had a discussion regarding the fetishization of Asian women and the attractiveness from being “exotic” while still maintaining certain European beauty standards like bigger eyes or straight, long hair. We also discussed people physically changing themselves to appear more European / less Asian, with things like bleaching their skin, eye enlargement procedures, or things as simple as maintaining blonde hair. Afterwards, I realized that we had only talked about women and never men. I wanted to deep dive into the beauty standards surrounding Asian men and the dichotomy of masculinization and feminization of Asian men.
Starting off with the basics, men’s general beauty standards befitted tall men over short men, as shortness was “feminine”. Since Asian men are, on average, shorter than white men, white men “win” the beauty competition in that category. Similar with women, eye size becomes relevant, as Asian men with small eyes are scrutinized and considered “ugly”. Again paralleling with women, attractive Asian men usually fall into two categories. Firstly, there are those who are either fairly white-passing, presented as tall, muscular, with a light skin tone and have European facial features (having a “normal” face). Secondly, there are those who are considered “exotic”, who contain identical features except for their darker, tanner skin, and are perhaps living on an island in the Pacific Ocean wearing tattoos or jewelry. Many Asian men work towards making themselves appear attractive by maximizing their masculine traits, such as height and build, appealing to the eurocentric beauty standards.
Some concepts that I also want to cover are the stereotyping and feminization of Asian men, which serve to make Asian men appear unattractive by associating them with feminine traits. There are many stereotypes of Asian men, common ones being socially inept nerds and slobby gamers, both of which are considered unattractive. In terms of feminization, Asian men are perceived as shorter and submissive, both of which are historically “feminine” traits. While shortness is simply related to trends in genetic variance, the claim of submissiveness is exaggerated for the sake of feminization. The virtue of respect is paramount in many Asian cultures and is often deeply ingrained, such as in Japanese culture with their extraordinary cordiality, or Chinese virtues of honoring elders and family. With respect being less important in European cultures, the respect and agreeableness of Asian Americans are often misinterpreted as submission or lack of confidence, which is considered “feminine” (can’t hold an argument? not manly!), and therefore agreeable Asian men are branded as feminine. Some Asian men counter the attempts at feminization by becoming more aggressive and forward, matching the arrogance of white men, in order to fit in and meet that toxic masculine expectation.
One important historical event I would like to point towards is the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in California in the 1860s, built by immigrant Chinese laborers. While physically toiling away in dangerous and sometimes life-threatening scenarios, the laborers unsurprisingly became muscular and well-built, which was (and still is) a hallmark in men’s beauty standards. When the railroads were finished, there suddenly were 20,000 unemployed Asian men loitering around California that needed jobs. Many started their own businesses with their skills and crafts from before railroad work, but others did not have that luxury and found employment from the white residents. Many of the white residents felt intimidated by the Asian men and employed them in traditionally feminine jobs such as housework, cooking, and general maid duties, in further attempts to feminize the Asian men.
Of course, there are always many different responses among Asian men and their beauty portrayals. Many Asian men focus on fashion and wardrobe instead of skin color and musculature and capitalize on their good features. Many others lean into the feminization, strutting piercings and longer hair, appropriately accessorizing and distancing themselves from the toxic masculinity routine. Others simply work on improving themselves in a normal and healthy manner through working out and eating properly and maintaining good hygiene. The dismantling of stereotypes is working wonders in ensuring that Asian Americans are respected and defying the racism at least within the social circles I am apart of; however there still are countless communities of Asians that struggle with racism and prosecution, and highlighting that awareness is one of the first steps we can take towards dismantling of Asian stereotypes everywhere.
