Are Asian Stereotypes True? A Deeper Look into Filipino Discrimination
WRITTEN BY FRANCESA JANA SANTIAGO
They say stereotypes are supposed to be bad but Filipinos seem to embrace them so much! While America has a long history of bestowing various stereotypes on people of color and minority groups, Filipinos on one hand have turned this into comedic material. Take world-renowned Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy who often makes jokes about Filipino moms forcing their children to become nurses. And we all think it’s funny because well, it’s kind of true! Although one issue with making light of these assumptions is that it puts our identity into a box, limiting how we are perceived by others and making it seem entirely a fact. So is it dangerous? It can be once we all forget the origins of a racially-motivated “joke”.
It was in 1975 when actress Tippi Hendren met 20 female Vietnamese refugees in Sacramento while doing her volunteer work. Since they were so drawn to her polished nails, this inspired her to enroll the women in beauty school to learn how to do manicures. Long story short, those Vietnamese women soon changed the face of the nail industry. However, they didn’t have to be nail technicians. They could have been successful in any field but it was the only opportunity they were presented with. Yet, people poke fun at Vietnamese folks for being in this business, as if it wasn’t their experiences in America that caused it. The same way goes for people who dismiss the fact that America built countless nursing institutions in the Philippines so they could exploit us for “cheap” labor.
It was also America that installed into the minds of Filipino immigrants that healthcare is the best option for financial success. So we can’t really blame our relatives when they pressure us to enter the medical field since that is the notion they grew up believing. But does the United States even attempt to make up for what they did- unfortunately, no. 2021 started off with a cruel twist when crimes against Asian-Americans surged as a way to blame the community for the COVID-19 outbreak just because the virus originated in China. It wasn’t the poor pandemic response of the government that had to be attacked, it was the elderly immigrants and their children. This included 61 year-old Noel Quintana who was slashed with a box cutter on New York’s L Train and not one person tried to help him.
The United States is home to united cultures and demographics but how ironic is it that forms of discrimination like these still exist? Even though America has provided our communities so many opportunities to live progressive lives, it’s not worth the erasure of our history. Ever. And no, this doesn’t mean putting a stop on any form of satirical comedy involving our culture because we all could use a little relatable laugh now and then. So all we need to do is educate and hold each other accountable because we can’t make America’s work easy and blame systemic problems on ourselves. Embracing certain stereotypes is one way of empowering our community but setting things right and escaping them is another way to do it.
For more real talk like this on all things culture and history, check out One Down’s original satirical series: Breaking the Tabo.