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Harry Potter and Cho Chang: Exotified Asian Women and Invisible Filipinos (3 of 4)
The argument circles back to the political and cultural identity of Asian American, Pacific Islander, Asian Pacific Islander American, Filipino American and countless other acronyms with each of their own distinctions. For East Asian Americans, it has always been very easy to pinpoint a sketchy portrayal of a light-skinned “Oriental” character who is distinctly East Asian and exotified; this is very much different for the Westernized Filipinos and Filipino Americans. UC Davis Filipino American student, Anthony Tadina does not find this surprising at all; he says, “Rowling based her on what she views Asian girls as - light skinned, skinny, smart ... the stereotype. If you think about it, when you describe someone who is White, what do you say?”
Filipinos and Filipino Americans need to understand East Asian stereotypes and apply them to their own. How often do people criticize roles of Filipino American actresses (who are very rare) in the mainstream media?
East Asians automatically see a “token Asian” on a television show as a doctor, scientist of some sort, pointing towards the model minority, if not a character doing some sort of domestic work. We are often cast aside with minor roles, supporting actors, or extras—nothing in the forefront for the mainstream cinema. Tadina agrees, “How many other Asian American males are the leading role in files (besides star of “Better Luck Tomorrow and “Harold and Kumar,” John Cho)?” What other Filipino American actors and actresses are present (besides comedian Rob Schneider, supermodels like Tia Careera, supporting actors/actresses like Lalaine Ann Vergara-Paras (Disney show, “Lizzy Macguire,”as the best friend) in American film? It is not uncommon to find actors and actresses indicate they are of Filipino descent, are of mixed descent, porn stars, American idol singers, Real World contestants, martial arts stunt doubles, and Filipino actors in the Philippines. Of course, there are the notable community films like “The Debut,” “Lumpia,” “The Flipside,” “Lolo's Child,” “ Disoriented ” and a list of many attempts to bring the Filipino American to mainstream America cinema. How much of America actually knows more than just the martial artist, beauty queen, and model minority roles in films…other than East Asian stereotypes--or is that all we are because that is all we know?
