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Post by eaparent on Oct 8, 2007 14:09:02 GMT -5
I'm new here, please forgive me if I re-hatch an old discussion. I was drawn to this site because I'm a parent of an EA child, and want to better understand the EA experience. I'm Chinese/Viet, my husband is Caucasian. When I was pregnant, quite a few people have said: "... you're going to have a very beautiful child.... ALL EA's are beautiful. Look at Kristen Kreuk, Brandon Lee, etc.!" From growing up in the United States, I struggled dearly with the "All Asians are smart" model minority stereotype: the pressure to meet that expectation, the struggle in "trying to be yourself" and not what people think/want you to be.... So, I'd like your input on how this "All EA's are attractive" model minority stereotype has affected you. Thanks. btw... I'm like all parents: by default, my child will always be the MOST beautiful! All parents (regardless of heritage) are entitled to this bias.  |
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Post by xandra on Oct 8, 2007 15:50:24 GMT -5
Welcome to Eurasian Nation, eaparent! The "all EAs are beautiful" myth/stereotype can get tiring, for sure. For one, it's not completely true. Anyone can point to beautiful celebrities of any race and claim that ALL koreans/italians/angolans/etc are beautiful. Doesn't mean that you can't find normal people who don't live up to that beauty standard. When people find out my background (half viet, too!) a lot of them have said "Oh, mixed people are so beautiful," which of course is flattering, but it can make me feel a bit uncomfortable at times. I would rather they say eurasians are smart although, as you've noted, positive stereotypes have their own drawbacks and can be equally hurtful. It's insulting that mixed people are thought to serve the purpose of being eye candy and nothing else. Kanye West once went so far as to say that "If it wasn’t for race mixing, there’d be no video girls” and that he “and most of [his] friends like mutts a lot … Yeah, in the hood they call ‘em mutts.” www.racialicious.com/2006/11/20/kanye-west-mixed-race-women-are-mutts-and-exist-solely-for-music-videos/ |
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Post by thekrez on Oct 8, 2007 16:21:24 GMT -5
I'm new here, please forgive me if I re-hatch an old discussion. I was drawn to this site because I'm a parent of an EA child, and want to better understand the EA experience. I'm Chinese/Viet, my husband is Caucasian. When I was pregnant, quite a few people have said: "... you're going to have a very beautiful child.... ALL EA's are beautiful. Look at Kristen Kreuk, Brandon Lee, etc.!" From growing up in the United States, I struggled dearly with the "All Asians are smart" model minority stereotype: the pressure to meet that expectation, the struggle in "trying to be yourself" and not what people think/want you to be.... So, I'd like your input on how this "All EA's are attractive" model minority stereotype has affected you. Thanks. btw... I'm like all parents: by default, my child will always be the MOST beautiful! All parents (regardless of heritage) are entitled to this bias. Hi eaparent and yes welcome. Its good to see more parents on here actually interested in the child's EA experience! Im half viet as well and the "All EAs are attractive" stereotype is just that, a stereotype. There are just as many unattractive EAs as attractive ones. The fact that your genetic fate plays itself across your face is neither here nor there. If you want my thoroughly un-PC opinion (but then if you stick around you will realise I am the least PC person here), I would tend to say Eurasian looks suit females more than males, just because of the softness of asian features lends itself well to a female face. But thats my opinion. |
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Post by Emily on Oct 8, 2007 19:46:56 GMT -5
Welcome eaparent! Like Xandra, I find the myth tiring. Yet, you can't stop people from thinking what they want to think. You're EA? Then you must be hot. You're Asian? Then you must be smart. You're black? You better know how to shake your booty. I think that one should focus not on the veracity of said myths, but on not perpetuating it. Like it or not, your child will encounter people that will expect him/her to be model material. Regardless of how beautiful society will perceive your child to be, you'll just have to stress how beauty is only accessory. Really, I'd say all you can do about it is stay aloof about the subject and not subject the child to pageants and the like.  |
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Post by cruelangel on Oct 8, 2007 23:06:23 GMT -5
Welcome to Eurasian Nation, eaparent! The "all EAs are beautiful" myth/stereotype can get tiring, for sure. For one, it's not completely true. Anyone can point to beautiful celebrities of any race and claim that ALL koreans/italians/angolans/etc are beautiful. Doesn't mean that you can't find normal people who don't live up to that beauty standard. When people find out my background (half viet, too!) a lot of them have said "Oh, mixed people are so beautiful," which of course is flattering, but it can make me feel a bit uncomfortable at times. I would rather they say eurasians are smart although, as you've noted, positive stereotypes have their own drawbacks and can be equally hurtful. It's insulting that mixed people are thought to serve the purpose of being eye candy and nothing else. Kanye West once went so far as to say that "If it wasn’t for race mixing, there’d be no video girls” and that he “and most of [his] friends like mutts a lot … Yeah, in the hood they call ‘em mutts.” www.racialicious.com/2006/11/20/kanye-west-mixed-race-women-are-mutts-and-exist-solely-for-music-videos/Give Kanye a break, he is also responsible for great comments like this youtube.com/watch?v=X8if3lh9KhU |
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Post by JohnCoolYoungHistory on Oct 8, 2007 23:10:25 GMT -5
You know I love dancing with black women because 9/10 of them CAN shake their booty. I believe with a 9/10 ratio I can go around expecting a black woman to know how to shake her booty!
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Post by xandra on Oct 8, 2007 23:21:33 GMT -5
Welcome to Eurasian Nation, eaparent! The "all EAs are beautiful" myth/stereotype can get tiring, for sure. For one, it's not completely true. Anyone can point to beautiful celebrities of any race and claim that ALL koreans/italians/angolans/etc are beautiful. Doesn't mean that you can't find normal people who don't live up to that beauty standard. When people find out my background (half viet, too!) a lot of them have said "Oh, mixed people are so beautiful," which of course is flattering, but it can make me feel a bit uncomfortable at times. I would rather they say eurasians are smart although, as you've noted, positive stereotypes have their own drawbacks and can be equally hurtful. It's insulting that mixed people are thought to serve the purpose of being eye candy and nothing else. Kanye West once went so far as to say that "If it wasn’t for race mixing, there’d be no video girls” and that he “and most of [his] friends like mutts a lot … Yeah, in the hood they call ‘em mutts.” www.racialicious.com/2006/11/20/kanye-west-mixed-race-women-are-mutts-and-exist-solely-for-music-videos/Give Kanye a break, he is also responsible for great comments like this youtube.com/watch?v=X8if3lh9KhUyeah, that was pretty awesome. i don't think mike myers could have looked any more uncomfortable. still, the mutt/video girls comment was messed up. |
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Post by LaFace on Oct 8, 2007 23:42:48 GMT -5
Hmm... well firstly I've seen the 'Mediatakeout' website before (the source in the link Xandra posted) and I've seen so many stories on there that were completely false, so to me it is a site with barely any credibility. However, say it was true, I wouldn't really find anything wrong with the comments. From what I gather, he would merely be praising mixed people for being physically attractive, not for 'being eye candy and nothing else'. I'd be interested to read what you guys think? As for the Bush comments, I think he should've replaced the word 'black' with 'poor'. However, one positive that came out of it is that it gained worldwide attention and added an immense amount of pressure on the Government in terms of their response efforts to the crisis, which at the time was not up to the standards of one of the most powerful nations on Earth. Yes I'm a Kanye fan. He's controversial but I respect him for having the balls to comment publicly on things that most others in his position wouldn't, or would otherwise sugarcoat. Most importantly, his hiphop is brilliant. Anyway, I digress. This long post is completely off-topic, and may come across as though I am attacking Xandra, which by all means I insist I am not. I just wish to defend Kanye, as I'm a fan. My apologies |
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Post by Ave` on Oct 8, 2007 23:44:08 GMT -5
Dear eaparent,
Im sure being ean in US is difficult. However, I can assure you not all EANs who lives in asia get to be treated like princes and princesses. EANs here also gets pick up for just being different. In Japan for example, the fact that youre mix anything besides japanese makes you an easy bully target at school. Im Malaysia, theres double standarts where the mix-blood doesnt enjoy the privileges the pure blood gets. What Im trying to say is you shouldnt feel guilty for who your kids turn out to be. Let them brave the world. The only thing you can do is help them when they need you. As for me, I used to hate being of mix race but now Im happy for who I am and I love my mom and my family and I wouldnt trade them for the world.
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Post by xandra on Oct 8, 2007 23:58:44 GMT -5
Hmm... well firstly I've seen the 'Mediatakeout' website before (the source in the link Xandra posted) and I've seen so many stories on there that were completely false, so to me it is a site with barely any credibility. I linked to Racialicious, which had used Mediatakeout as a source. Check out this google search and you will see that a lot of sites talked about the quote without mentioning Mediatakeout. Roy Innis even sent out a press release about it! www.tiny.cc/Zc8r6 |
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swordcane
Junior Member
~quappuccino~
Posts: 116 
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Post by swordcane on Oct 9, 2007 0:22:53 GMT -5
The "all EAs are attractive" makes me self-conscious sometimes. So many gorgeous EA celebrities seem to have perfect features and really look like "the best of both worlds" People constantly praise them for their "exotic" looks, even if they're only 1/8 asian*, as if that's why they're attractive, not just because they just are attractive in general. And then I look in the mirror and I feel like I'm not EA enough because I don't look like Kelly Hu or Devon Aoki or Kristin Kreuk. I mean, I know it's silly and it really doesn't matter, but it does get to me.
*like Kate Beckinsale
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Post by Ave` on Oct 9, 2007 2:48:21 GMT -5
Kate Beckinsale is hot specially in that vampire movie *drolls*
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Post by cewek on Oct 9, 2007 3:49:54 GMT -5
Hi eaparent, I am also one of those..as in parenting an ea.
well my boy is of course gorgeous I think, and possibly more so because he was lucky enough to inherit some great features from his dad( the asian parent) which hopefully might cancel out any fuglies he got from me. Ha.
Anyhow- I posted here once before, that yes people do go on about ea beauty etc, yet I have had someone say to me , straight after tellling me how nice my son looks that I must be glad he doesn't look " too" chinese.
And I often notice that people will comment on things like that as if because he is a combo race mix etc they feel they can.As if I BOUGHT they boy from a shop or something, you know? He IS my son, my family etc-as is his dad my family!!!
I mean how about if I said to that woman god you must be glad your kid doesn't look like his dad? As IF normal civilised people say things like that? But they do.
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Post by halfbreed on Oct 9, 2007 7:53:06 GMT -5
Personally, I have no problem with the EA beauty myth! ;D
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Post by sass in a glass on Oct 9, 2007 11:34:04 GMT -5
The "all EAs are attractive" makes me self-conscious sometimes. So many gorgeous EA celebrities seem to have perfect features and really look like "the best of both worlds" People constantly praise them for their "exotic" looks, even if they're only 1/8 asian*, as if that's why they're attractive, not just because they just are attractive in general. And then I look in the mirror and I feel like I'm not EA enough because I don't look like Kelly Hu or Devon Aoki or Kristin Kreuk. I mean, I know it's silly and it really doesn't matter, but it does get to me. *like Kate Beckinsale Just because you're EA doesn't mean you have to look the part. Who can tell me what the definitive EA trait/look is? Almond eyes, high cheek bones, pin straight hair, narrow nose, full set of lips, with medium build?  We're all so different lookwise so really, I don't think you should yearn to look like this ea celeb or that because, like I said there is no definitive look. Yes, there was a time where I wanted to be 50/50 but I've gotten older and wiser and honestly could care less now. It's the awareness of ones cultures that I think counts! Now, off to the hungover thread I go.... |
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We're all so different lookwise so really, I don't think you should yearn to look like this ea celeb or that because, like I said there is no definitive look. Yes, there was a time where I wanted to be 50/50 but I've gotten older and wiser and honestly could care less now. It's the awareness of ones cultures that I think counts!