Week 6_Julia Wells_Section 4

As said in the article, “On Some College Campuses, A Focus on Asian American Mental Health”, “positive stereotypes by expectations” causes mental health issues in Asian Americans. The use of positive combined with the word stereotype is very counterintuitive. Positive is supposed to mean a good thing, but a stereotype is an assumption about a person because of what they look like or where they are from. With this thought, a positive stereotype can be defined as a good assumption about someone which makes them look good. The problem with this is an assumption, in itself, is inappropriate and slightly arrogant. These positive assumptions or stereotypes about people evolve into expectations of the person. If the said person with a positive stereotype does meet those expectations, then negative comments are brought to their attention, gas lighting occurs, and stress and depression build up in that person. Positive stereotyping appears to have happy and successful outcomes to those who follow the stereotype, so pressure is put on Asian Americans so they can succeed.

The term gaslighting was discussed in Professor Valverde’s lecture but in a different way. She explained that Asian Americans internalize the positive stereotype and they believe it to be true and that is their standard to live up to. Internalizing these stereotypes leads Asian Americans to not question their goals or to not critically think about the world around them. If they do a good job, excel in school, listen to others, and stay silent then it will be an easy life. Others fail to see the pressure put on Asian Americans and the toll it takes on them because of what they have already internalized as their purpose.

To some extent, I think Asian parents are less controlling and less demanding of their child. The parent still wants their child to succeed in life, but they are more open to what their child wants and how their child feels. When Professor Valverde took the survey at the beginning of class of how many people are taking majors that they are interested in, almost 75% of the class raised their hand. Compared to when she did that same survey a couple of years ago where only a few students raised their hand.

So even though Asian Americans are doing what they want to do, positive stereotyping follows them wherever they go. That pressure follows them in something that they love which makes Asian Americans feel even worse when they do not meet those expectations.

References:

Asian fail. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.memedroid.com/memes/detail/237730

On Some College Campuses, A Focus On Asian American Mental Health. (2018, October 15). Retrieved from https://yr.media/news/on-some-college-campuses-a-focus-on-asian-american- mental-health/