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In light of the recent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes we take the time to explore the role of media in perpetuating stereotypes and bigotry towards those of Asian descent. We discuss the failure in understanding the actual diversity of Asia especially as most Americans don’t even understand the different between varieties in cultures, languages, and nationalities. We examine casting decisions, type casts, and storytelling. We talk about the history of orientalism and its particularly gendered variations which cast Asian men as emasculated side characters and Asian women as docile and desirable. We talk about how these cultural depictions are part of a history of bigotry and play into the modern violence.
