Why Is The Model Minority Myth Worth Stereotyping Of Asian Americans?

Stereotypes are used to generalize the belief about a specific group of people. When people are stereotyped they tend to feel disrespected and upset. Most people can agree that stereotypes are negative and harmful. But when it comes to the model minority myth some may say that it is a positive stereotype that benefits Asian Americans. The model minority myth is used to refer to a minority group perceived to be especially successful, in a way that makes them seem superior to other minority groups. The model minority myth negatively impacts Asian Americans by creating non-exceedable academic expectations and unfair educational opportunities causing mental health issues toward Asian Americans.

One way the model minority myth harms Asian Americans

In the text “How I benefited from the Model Minority Myth” by Caleb Wong, the author claims that parental pressure to exceed for higher academic achievement led to him being able to achieve his academic goals. Wong states “The study says success in the classroom is reinforced by their parents, who “hold higher educational expectations for their children than white native-born parents.” I have experienced this first hand. Whenever I talk to my Chinese grandmother on the phone, she always asks me, “Are your grades good?” Although this may be effective and beneficial for him, when a child can't meet the high expectations set by their parents they will lower their self esteem and make them feel like a disappointment. Parental pressure may be effective in the short run but the effects of it will be long lasting. According to “The Invisible Minority: Counseling Asian Americans” by Mary Morrissey, “Asian American students may experience a conflict between selecting an academic major that they are interested in and one that their parents want and expect them to choose. "This fear of disapproval and sense of guilt are particularly strong among those whose parents financially support their education, which is not uncommon among Asian Americans,"said Kwan.” Guilt from disappointment affects the choices of Asian American students. Many may choose a major that their parents want instead of their actual passion. This shows that parental pressure negativity affects the child because in the long run the child is unable to make their own decisions, instead they rely on the validation of their parents. Once the child doesn't meet their parents expectations they will feel crushed and this will lower their self esteem making them think less of