I, of course, was drawn into this Slate article on racial preference and dating by the teaser on the front page, which read: “The Myth of the Asian Fetish,” and featured an Asian woman’s face.
Yet, the corresponding article did nothing to debunk any such “myth.”
This is the most the whole article gets into the whole thing, which is based on some speed dating analysis:
We found no evidence of the stereotype of a white male preference for East Asian women. However, we also found that East Asian women did not discriminate against white men (only against black and Hispanic men). As a result, the white man-Asian woman pairing was the most common form of interracial dating—but because of the women's neutrality, not the men's pronounced preference.
I feel like the researchers or at least the writer of this article doesn’t really get the idea of an Asian fetish. I’ve never particularly thought all white men like Asian women – just that there is this certain exotification of them that has to do with hundreds of years of colonial history. (Edward Said, anyone?) The whole study seems kind of weak anyway. It would be cool if there was some kind of social test that a researcher came up with to look at the Asian fetish and how it plays out at bars. I also thought it was particularly weird, maybe even offensive, that this article seems to claim that there is no such thing as an Asian fetish, and if there was, it is really Asian women who are perpetuating it.
Thoughts?
Posted by neela at November 8, 2007 12:41 PM
Comments
i don't think the article should be held accountable for the stupid headline.
plus, i think this finding is interesting. it could mean that white men will *date* anyone, but won't get into a serious relationship with women who aren't white, or asian.
but i think it's also interesting that the asian women in this study are more receptive to white men than other women of color. this particular finding doesn't exactly come as a surprise to me. does it to you?
after all, it takes two to tango, and no matter how fetishy the white men may be, if the asian women aren't having it, then there's no hook up.
Posted by: claire at November 8, 2007 6:59 PM
What should not come as a surprise is the outright racism of white women when it comes to choosing marriage partners. White women prefer smart men subject to the racial constraint. Men in general are more open to dating women from other races. But, women are not and white women especially so. Sadly, recent events in California and Chicago indicate that white women would rather prefer white wife beaters, rapists and murderers even over a decent well qualified well off Asian American University Professor. In one particular case where the white woman has disappeared evidence indicates that the woman in question knew of the guy's checkered past and his ex-wife's suspicious death and yet continued to date and eventually marry and have children with him. White American female racism at its best when it comes to choosing marriage partners.
Posted by: Raj at November 9, 2007 8:04 AM
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