![]() ![]() However, I know that tons of Chinese American women have body/weight issues because of how pervasive the skinny thing is in Chinese culture.” “When I was a kid, I was a total tomboy and really wanted to be big and strong. (She is actually a size 10.) But for Jessica, the pressure to conform doesn’t bother her. It’s so normalized to talk with zero tact about it.” Case in point: her older cousin recently gave her weight-loss tea and a Fitbit, saying, “I thought you could use these.” Whenever her relatives in China want to buy her clothing, Jessica’s mother tells them she is a men’s size XL. My friend Jessica, who spent part of her childhood living in China, says, “Weight and appearance is not a taboo subject for people to talk about in Chinese culture. I’m not alone in experiencing the fat- and body-shaming tactics that my family uses. ![]() The teenager in me just wants to fit into skinny jeans and have a permanent Japanese hair-straightening treatment. The feminist in me wants to be stronger than these standards, get over these doubts, and be happy with my body. Case in point: her older cousin recently gave her weight-loss tea and a Fitbit, saying, “I thought you could use these.” Whenever her relatives in China want to buy her clothing, Jessica’s mother tells them she is a men’s size XL. Weight and appearance is not a taboo subject for people to talk about in Chinese culture. Liposuction, nose jobs, calf-reduction surgery, and double-eyelid surgery are popular ways to conform to more “pleasing” Western features. My father once took me to a doctor’s office to inquire about plastic surgery because he deemed my thick lips equivalent to “pig’s lips.” Plastic surgery is common in South Korea and Taiwan as a way to fix women’s faces and bodies. I have a photo from that time period that my mother, whom I love dearly, told me to never look like again. Never mind the fact that most of the girls in my class hadn’t even developed yet.Īs a teenager, I tried diet pills, eating only oranges for breakfast, and joining the tennis team to try to morph my body into size-two Gap jeans, which never happened. I was so embarrassed by my big boobs that I used to wear two bras and two T-shirts in seventh grade to hide them. Out of all the women in my family, I’m the only one with a size D bosom - a fact that is frequently pointed out by female cousins, my mom, and my aunts. Or can you believe so-and-so lost so much weight? They look so good now! So-and-so used to be so cute as a kid, but now they’ve really gained a lot of weight. I love my Taiwanese heritage, but at any family gathering, conversations often revolve around who has gained weight and who has lost weight. At five feet tall, my large runner-type calves, stocky frame, and size-eight waist are equivalent to getting an F-minus on a calculus final (which I did). First-generation Asian parents are just as proud of us when we graduate from a top university as when we shed serious pounds. And when we sweat, we still look sexy.Īlthough every woman is subjected to these same stupid standards of impossibly skinny waists, busty boobs, and twig-type arms, in Asian American culture, losing weight and being skinny is tantamount to getting good grades. We’re always trying to take off our clothes. We all have tiny size-two waists, slender legs, and perfectly straight hair. ![]() This photo slideshow reveals exactly what pop culture seems to think about Asian women and our bodies. “You know you’re not fat.” I’m not fat to Americans.Ī quick Internet search for “hot Asian women” revealed this delightful article: “ 42 Seriously Hot Asian Women to Get You Through Monday” (you’re welcome). When I told a male Caucasian friend I was writing about how fat I am, he laughed. One of the comments was “Are there any fat Asian people? I’ve never seen one.” I wanted to write in response that there are fat Asians, but you probably don’t think we’re that fat. When BuzzFeed recently sourced questions for its “ Ask An Asian” video on Facebook, more than 7,000 responses came in. ![]()
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