This is just a little rant that I have wanted to get off my chest.

I’m pretty sure that girls of all ethnicities want to see themselves portrayed on the big screen. Media has portrayed the Caucasian identity for as long as cinema has been around and in many different forms and genres. However, on the downside, when it comes to representing the Asian identity, it gets the short end of the stick. From stereotypes to tired-out cliches, the movie industry has a lot that needs to change.

The first aspect is the lack of Asian lead roles in movies and why in almost every movie, the Asian character just follows the white character. For example, in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, there’s this white girl named Tamara that’s like the “leader” and then we get this one Asian girl named Eva who just “follows” her actions or instructions and doesn’t have her own opinion or anything and it’s frustrating. Another example in Harriet The Spy, there’s a white mean girl named Marion who just acts like a leader, and the Asian girl Rachel just follows her. Also, the Netflix movie Moxie has the same kind of traits as the Asian girl Claudia following a white girl Vivian. It’s exhausting and it’s the same for Asian boys. They act like followers instead of leaders and it diminishes Asians, specifically Asian girls and boys and it creates a toxic mindset that Asian people can’t be leaders themselves which isn’t true. Now there is more inclusivity in Netflix shows like Never Have I Ever, with the main girl Devi being Indian, To All The Boys I Loved Before with the main girl Lara Jean being Asian- American and more which includes more Asian leads.

Another aspect is Hollywood writing stories for Asian characters which only include war, traumatic experiences and etc. It doesn’t have to be that way. There can be multiple stories for Asian characters which show a multitude of aspects of life such as sexuality, family dynamics, friendships, the individual themselves and more. Fortunately, we are seeing more of these in shows such as The Babysitters Club with Claudia Kishi, played by Momona Tamada, who has stories that range from family situations to her friends and more. 

A final aspect is Asian characters with an emphasis on their friendships. We seldom see Asian characters with genuine friendships with ups and downs along the way. They are usually seen by themselves or with their families. Thankfully we see more genuine friendships with Asian characters in movies such as Turning Red, with Meilin and her friends. 

In conclusion, these cliches are reused constantly regarding Asian characters and representation, which is tiring. However, with the increased exposure of social media and the news media as well as up-and-coming directors, we are getting more inclusive stories in terms of Asian representation. Hopefully, it will be better in the long run. 

These are a few examples that I could think of, I’m pretty sure there are a ton more examples out there.

However, feel free to discuss any of these in the comments below or if you agree or disagree with the above.