SUBJECT: ENGLISH, U.S. HISTORY
Stereotyping is a form of systemic racism for Asian Americans who have historically been stereotyped in the United States through “Yellow Peril,” fearmongering, economic, and societal threats. Viewed as perpetual foreigners, no matter their duration living here or whether they were American-born, Asian males are often characterized as scheming, weak, ignorant, and undesirable, while Asian females are exotic, cunning, and subservient. This perpetual foreigner stereotype is maintained by institutions from Hollywood, private and public sectors to elected public servants. Asian Americans have been fighting against stereotypes since the 1920s, and continue to do so, on- and off-screen.