S E O U L D I V A

I was looking for a wine log iApp tonight, under the Lifestyle category of the iTunes Store.  To my utter HORROR, I came across several iApps for “hot Asian girls”:

Asian Spice Lite:

And then you have Cute Asian Girls:

I really can’t go on, but there are TONS more.  Not to mention Russian Brides apps, and apps featuring questionable kiddie pics, (per Gizmodo).  I wonder why they don’t just have a “PREDATOR” subcategory under the Lifestyle section?

I know I really shouldn’t be surprised that these things exist.  Everyone knows I’m an Angry Asian Gurl at heart and I don’t agree with the exotification, objectification and “othering” of Asian women, particularly in Western culture.  But, I’m not naive – they certainly exist.

HOWEVER, I guess I was a little surprised that apps like these get green-lighted by the good Asia-file people over at Apple, and yet I have to jailbreak my iPhone to get a video recording app??

Even MORE interesting: I don’t see a “Sexy Black Girl” iApp.  Could you imagine the absolute UPROAR an app like that would cause among the African American Community?  I am in constant awe and admiration of the way the African American community comes together against injustices.

As a community, Asians are a formidable force to be reckoned with; we have infiltrated positions of power in politics, finance, law and the beauty/fashion industry.  WHY is it that there has been no movement by our community to challenge and attack the objectification and stereotyping of our women?

I am repeatedly baffled by how acceptable “yellowface” is in music videos.  How I can open up an issue of amNY on any given day and see ADS for Asian Girls.  How I can still walk down a street and have someone make kung-fu noises at me.

But it’s our own doing.  The state of things is a direct result of our years of silence.  And our silence is a ultimately a silent endorsement of all these misrepresentations and injustices.

I see a change, slowly but surely.  When I do shows, or speak at colleges and universities, I see an awareness in the students that wasn’t there when I was a student.

It starts with awareness, and the community is definitely STARTING to become aware.  But there is a HUGE distance between awareness and ACTION.  I hope to be a part of the movement…and get to see these injustices rectified in my lifetime.

xx,

hp