Can stereotypes ever be good? - Sheila Marie Orfano and Densho
In 2007, researchers surveyed
over 180 teachers
to understand if they held stereotypes
about students from three racial groups.
The results surfaced several
negative stereotypes,
labeling Black students
as aggressive and stubborn,
white students as selfish
and materialistic,
and Asian students as shy and meek.
But regardless of the teachers’
other biases,
the most commonly held opinion
was that Asian students
were significantly more industrious,
intelligent, and gentle than their peers.
On the surface, this might seem
like a good thing,
or at least better than other,
negative characterizations.
But treating this seemingly favorable
stereotype as reality
can actually cause a surprising amount
of harm—
to those it describes, those it doesn’t,
and even those who believe it to be true.
This image of humble, hard-working Asians
is actually well-known
as the “model minority” stereotype.
Versions of this stereotype emerged
in the mid-20th century
to describe Chinese Americans.
But following World War II,
the label became commonly used
to claim that Japanese Americans
had overcome their mistreatment
in US incarceration camps,
and successfully integrated
into American society.
Former incarcerees were praised
as compliant, diligent,
and respectful of authority.
In the following decades,
“model minority” became a label
for many Asian populations in the US.
But the truth behind this story
of thriving Asian Americans
is much more complicated.
During World War II,
the US government tried to “Americanize”
incarcerated Japanese Americans.
They did this through English language
classes, patriotic exercises,
and lessons on how to behave
in white American society.
When incarcerees were released,
they were instructed to avoid
returning to their own communities
and cultural practices,
and instead, integrate into white society.
But after decades of anti-Asian policies
and propaganda,
white Americans had to be persuaded
that Japanese Americans
were no longer a threat.
So the government organized media coverage
to transform the public perception
of Japanese Americans from suspected
traitors to an American success story.
In fact, the phrase “model minority” was
coined by one such article from 1966.
But this article, and others like it,
didn’t just cast Asian Americans as an
obedient and respectful “model minority."
They also criticized so-called
“problem minorities,”
primarily Black Americans.
Politicians who were threatened
by the rising Civil Rights movement
used this rhetoric to discredit
Black Americans’ demands
for justice and equality.
They presented a fabricated story
of Asian American success
to paint struggling Black communities
as inferior.
This narrative put a wedge
between Black and Asian Americans.
It erased their shared history
of fighting oppression
alongside other marginalized groups,
and pit the two communities
against each other.
In doing so, the model minority myth
also enforced a racial hierarchy,
with white Americans on top
and everyone else underneath.
Certainly, many people who still believe
the model minority stereotype,
either consciously or unconsciously,
might not agree with that idea.
But comparing the imagined strengths
and weaknesses of racial groups
places value on how well those groups
meet certain standards—
typically, standards set
by a white majority.
In this case,
the model minority stereotype
suggests that marginalized groups
who are compliant, gentle, and respectful
of white authority are deserving
of tolerance,
while groups that challenge
the status quo are not.
This stereotype also negatively impacts
the Asian individuals it describes.
According to a psychological phenomenon
known as stereotype threat,
members of a group often place pressure
on their individual actions
to avoid encouraging negative
group stereotypes.
But this phenomenon can occur around
seemingly positive stereotypes as well.
The pressure associated with living
up to impossibly high standards
can lead to poor performance.
And teachers are less likely to notice
when Asian students are struggling.
Outside the classroom, social programs
catering to Asian communities
are frequently overlooked or cut,
because they’re assumed to need less
support than other disadvantaged groups.
The favorable portrait created
by this stereotype
can also make it harder to recognize
racially motivated violence
and discrimination against
Asian Americans.
And since this stereotype carelessly
groups all Asians under the same umbrella,
it impacts people with various backgrounds
and unique histories of discrimination.
So while the model minority label
might appear
to benefit Asian populations at first,
in practice, it works
like every other racial stereotype.
It reduces a group of people
to a one-dimensional image.
And that single image hinders our ability
to understand the history,
struggles, and triumphs of the individuals
within that group.
Acknowledging and challenging these labels
is essential for building coalitions
across communities and eliminating
harmful stereotypes for good.
