Lesson 1: Cross-Racial Solidarity And Asians As The "Model Minority"
Yes, Asians Are Oppressed
It's shocking how eagerly people will make statements such as "Asians are basically white." Yet I can see why even another person of color might come to the conclusion. Relations between Asian Americans (or Asians of any society in the West) and other communities of color have always been strained. Black and Latino Americans are aware, and correctly, that many Asian American communities have a trait unique to communities of color: racial superiority. Native Americans are hardly acknowledged, if at all, by Asians. Most non-Asian communities of color experience systemic racial oppression far more severe and longer lasting than Asians in the West have endured.
But to see Asian communities solely from that perspective is antithetical to cross-racial solidarity for all people of color. In addition to the erasure of darker-skinned non-East Asians in this train of thought, and in addition to the fact that playing 'Oppression Olympics' has never benefited any categories of minorities, the fact remains that orientalism, or anti-Asian racism, cannot be a footnote in the history of American racism and white supremacy.
The predominant theme running through the history of Asian Americans from the very first arrivals-this is, obviously, 1830s to this day-is the Perpetual Foreigner Syndrome. This sense that we cannot possibly belong is exemplified by the internment of Japanese Americans, 120,000 individuals, two-thirds of them born in this nation and therefore citizens, that we could not be trusted, that blood will tell, that we truly would be actually loyal to the emperor of Japan or to some other sovereignty or that we could never assimilate, that we would not be Christian, could not speak English, could not truly join, did not understand democracy, were inscrutable, would not somehow wish for the same freedoms that others whose forbearers had come on the Mayflower wish for.
-- Frank H. Wu, UC Hastings College of the Law, 2016
Asian Americans, I would argue, are among the predominant cultures regarded as foreign, unknown outsiders. In a 2022 study, Asian Americans were the least likely to feel that they completely belong and are accepted in the United States (29%) compared to Black Americans (33%), Latino Americans (42%), and white Americans (61%). From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the 1922 Supreme Court decision that Asian Americans were not naturalized citizens because they were not Caucasian to the surge in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic, the truth is that Yes. Asians are oppressed.
During World War II, 120,000 Japanese American citizens (citizens, not those on visa- citizens of this country) were uprooted and told to pack bags to incarceration/concentration camps for the simple crime of their ancestral origin, which alone certified their guilt in potentially being a spy. A portion of those interned (known as "Nisei" - second generation immigrant children) could not speak Japanese, and had never been to Japan. This was not done against German Americans, nor Italian Americans. They had to work unlike fellow white Americans to prove their nationality. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team composed of Japanese American Nisei remains the most decorated unit in American military history for their work in WWII Europe. But not Asia. Japanese American troops were not permitted to be sent to Asia.
Lead to the Model Minority
In 1966, a New York Times article by a white author thus lauded the hard work that prevented Japanese Americans from becoming a "problem minority". At the same time, the war on crime and criminalization of Black Americans was beginning. It was in this context that the "model minority" myth emerged, casting Asian Americans as hardworking and quiet, villainizing Black Americans. (It should be said that this does not justify the antiblackness in Asian American communities, only provides contextualization in a systemic lose-lose struggle between two communities fostered by whiteness, who continues to benefit in the end.)
Part of the reason API people avoid it is that they can see the way Blacks and Latinos are positioned… and they don’t want that, so they’ll do something different and hope for a different outcome… Those are the two big ones: a lot of pressure not to talk about it, and then a lot of pressure to disassociate from Blacks and Latinos.
-- Participant in a ChangeLab study about Asian Americans and race
Disclaimers.
Now that we're talking about #StopAsianHate, I see being both Black and Asian — the bridge between both of these communities and how similar they are. And sometimes I just get frustrated, because we're both not seeing each other's humanity and unifying as much as we should.
-- Johnathan Gibbs, Blasian activist
It is, however, crucial to remember that the 'model minority' stereotype in America very heavily focuses on East Asians, namely Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Americans. South and Southeast Asians, especially darker-skinned Asians, rarely feel a connect to the "model minority" stereotype. The demonization of dark skin and skin lightness hierarchy in Asia continues to reflect the effects of antiblackness even as an internalized system for Asians. Another notable element is mixed race Asian and Black American people (mixed race Asians of which many more lessons could be written on alone). As those who face both antiblackness and orientalism, their perspectives are especially important when considering cross-racial solidarity.
They're like, "Black Lives Matter and yes, this is happening to us too, but the root is white supremacy. But then you have this sector of the population... that are like, "Well, they don't understand that Black people have been going through this," and then they'll say, "Well, Asian people have gone through the Chinese Exclusion Act." But girl, slavery happened. Then you get into what everybody labels as the "oppression Olympics," and I don't do the oppression Olympics because there's no comparison. I say this as an Asian person, there is no comparison to what Black people have gone through in the United States of America since 1619.
-- Johnathan Gibbs
And the last disclaimer is that though I said we should not play 'Oppression Olympics', in a discussion like this it is vital to acknowledge that Black Americans have been facing significant amounts of systemic racism, and it is not reducing American orientalism to a footnote to say that.
So What's the Solution? Yuri Kochiyama, Malcolm X, and Cross-Racial Solidarity
Yet despite this shared struggle, divergent goals and interests “sets our two communities apart and pits us against each other. […] Racialized disinformation […] sustains white supremacy. It can also be weaponized to disrupt cross-racial solidarity among different communities and ultimately uphold the tenets of white supremacy power structures.
-- Phan, a research analyst with the Asian American Disinformation Table.
But I have spent all this time talking about how these communities are different, oppressed differently, put differently against each other, all while focusing on differences is still not the solution.
Black-Asian solidarity is not new: Frederick Douglass argued against the Chinese Exclusion Act, political activist Yuri Kochiyama was an ally and friend of Malcolm X, and Jesse Jackson stepped away from his presidential campaign in 1992 to protest the murder of Vincent Chin. Japanese Americans’ push for reparations for internment during World War II was modeled on the civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s.
-- Joseph Williams, The Long History of Black-Asian Solidarity, 2023
Japanese American human rights activist Yuri Kochiyama was the one by Malcom X's side cradling his head in her lap after he’d been fatally shot at Audubon Ballroom. She had directly contributed to the passing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which guaranteed reparations for former internees of the Japanese American camps (including herself). But the majority of Kochiyama’s influence today stems from her work in cross-racial solidarity through grassroots activism.
She helped connect Asian American activism to the larger Civil Rights movement, and formed unity between diverse communities. Based in Harlem at the height of the movement, she worked directly alongside Black and Latino communities, and through her work, Kochiyama demonstrated to all that the fight for justice does not define those by their differences, but by their willingness to stand together.
The same exact playbook is being used against both Black and Asian communities. So if we don’t stick together, the playbook that wins against one of our communities will absolutely win against the other.
Hellaur beautiful people! It's me, the one and only Ife here to terrorise your feed once more 😙. I see your ass clicking “not interested”. I’ll break your finger. Watch out 🤨🫵🏾
As promised, here’s ANOTHA list. One I put my blood, sweat and tears drafting because the last one was nothing if not shorter than Eragon’s dick(he gives such teeny weeny peeny energy. Just me? Would still hit tho 👀)
This time, I’ve compiled a list of people I think are THEE hottest Asian characters in Romance Club. I’ve already done one for the black characters, and yes, I've seen the whataboutism in the comments 🙄(I PROMISE I’ll make a part 2 😭) so if you haven't seen that already, it’s gonna be a LONG scroll on my blog 💀
You know I had to pull through for the gorgeous and lovely Asian diaspora that plays Romance Club. I love y'all so so much. We’re literally cousins fr. I hope that as you scroll, my commentary makes you laugh so hard your bowel discombobulates(because I'm just that funny 😙✌️🏾)
⚠️DISCLAIMER!!! If at any point you believe a character on this list is not of Asian descent, please let me know IMMEDIATELY so that I can take them off. I am well aware that the diaspora is not a monolith so any assumptions made on my part were completely unintentional. Along with this, read with caution as the list contains spoilers across a variety of books⚠️
And with that, let’s start the showww
1. Eli Wei Chen- Sunborn
Starting off STRONG 😮💨😮💨
My first introduction to this man was that one CG of him leaning against a railing, and the first thing I noticed besides that beautiful FACE of his were his tantalising, rotund, perfectly curved boobs screaming to be let out of that damn compression shirt he got on. Is this also a safe space to say that I like going boob for boob with my Love Interests?
AND HE’S MELANATED YES HOLY FADAAAAA 🥹🥹🥹. Who told the devs I’d go to war for melanated men??? ANYTHING ranging from tanned to darkskin I’m UP or rather a PART of me goes up, teehee 😙. Not only that, he’s got HAIRUHHHH 😩😩😩. Means I can grab a clump and pull on that shit-
I promise I’m done now 💀
See, I wasn't even going to play Sunborn until his sexy ass showed up. Now, I’m like “Hmm, werewolves and shit. Interesting. My coochie hairy asf so I'm practically part werewolf. Is you looking for an Omega? Perhaps you can enlighten me about heat cycles. Oh, and about knotting—”
I haven't even read the book yet, but ELI??? He’s sumn SERIOUSSSS. When I finally get to it, y'all would be SICK of me 💀
2. Ram Doobay- Kali: Flame of Samsara
JEEESUSSSSUHHHH 😩
I don’t read the Kali series but gah DAMN, this man is FOINE. I’m so conflicted because he looks good with and without his eye patch. Does it stay on or off when I crack him? Hardest decision of my life 💔💔💔
For sure, if I read Flame of Samsara, FUCK the Basus, FUCK everyone in that bitch too, this man WILL be my Love Interest. No one else would be able to turn my head. Even if he’s some kind of heinous criminal in the book, imma still stick beside him. Do I sound like a bird to you? Possibly, but it takes one to know one, boo. Mhm…🌚🌚🌚
If you know anyone that looks like Ram irl, make sure to hit your girl up. I’m single as a Pringle and ready asf to mingle 😙
3. Shen Zheng- W: Time Catcher
MY FIRST EVER LOVE INTEREST OMGMGMGMGMG
I knew this was gon’ be my man when I saw his sexy ass in that prison cell, looking like hell, beaten to a pulp, LONG ASS HAIR(you can probably guess I like long hair in men. In black men, it’s a big, voluminous AFRO), runes all over his body. Phew 😮💨. Shit, I can add another rune on his body with my HANDS 🫦
This man makes you WORK for his penis, holy shit. It took a MINUTE for me to get into this man’s drawls. Shit was so bad that after their first kiss, I not only screamed until my voice went hoarse, I was worried he’d ghost her after 😭
It's okay though because I’m also a friends-to-lovers slow burner too so Shen and I are basically the same person. If anything, it adds more depth to Shen’s backstory and the relationship he has with Nova which I LOVE. Plus, when that penis was GOT, imagine my surprise when I saw that Shen is also a FREAK and a beautiful SUB.
I said “JACKPOT! 🤑🤑☝️🏾☝️🏾”
I love my grumpy Chinese man sm
4. Ratan Vaish- Kali: Call of Darkness
Now, the authors played for whitewashing him 💀
Literally the first thing I said when I saw him for the first time was “Oh, he’s white as shit”. I swear to god I'm deadass.
I’ve met and seen a few South Asians in my life and almost(keyword ALMOST) all of them had brown skin or were darkskinned like me. Still, he’s utterly GORGEOUS and has BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIRRRRRRUHHHH
He also looks so gentle. Tell me he is guys 🥹. I didn't get past the first eps of Call of Darkness because seeing Killian told me all I needed to know how the story would play out and I couldn't play it seeing such similarities the book’s plot had to how my own culture and its practices became demonised or seen as bad. Trust me, I know how it feels. It felt so disrespectful to play the series
Anyway, yeah. Love tf outta Ratan and the authors will PAY
5. Felonia- Astrea’s Broken Heart
Big Mama FELLLLLL 😮💨
She loves herself a smoky eyeliner and it looks so CUNT on her. I love gworls that know what their best features are 😛. I just felt COMPELLED to say, Mother. How can I NOT 😩? This woman? TAKING it henniiii
Her character shook the fandom so hard. She got these hoes SMOKING out of their ears for doing things they’d prolly praise Malek and Mikael for. Everyone chants that we need more morally grey women rep in RC but in the same breath, you niggas pay them dust or be borderline misogynistic towards them. You don’t want it ENOUGH 😡🫵🏾
Felonia is the realest and the baddest and you don't get her unless you’re as much of a bad bitch as her. Couldn't be me tho. I got her first look. Keep tf up ✌️🏾
6. Saraswati Basu- Kali: Flame of Samsara
The Basus, I've heard are LOTS of things.
But UGLY? Never that. Nuh-uh 🤏🏾.
I remember seeing Sara for the first time. I had to DOUBLE TAKE because whewwwww 😮💨.
And her eyes are such a beautiful green. I get so entranced staring into them. Shit be hypnotising me. I need to control it bro 💀
I just LOVE a good mug
7. Madame Park- Garden of Eden
More like Mommy Park OUUU SHITTTTT 😩
I love a lil’ red lip and SHE??? TAKING ITTTTT!!! Just like Sunmi did(Man, I miss her sm. I was THEE biggest Sunmi and Chungha stan during lockdown 💔💔💔. I hate when people pay these K-pop Soloists dust💔💔💔)
Every shot of this woman I see in Garden of Eden, I’m barely reading her dialogue and just cussing the fuck out of the SIRENS because their manager is so damn HAWT. Lucky bastards. SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEEE 💔💔💔
And it's a good thing she looks so much like Sunmi because if I can’t go see her irl(bc I'm BROKE) then I’ll settle for gawking at Miss Park over dere. It's a win-win situation!
8. Ava Wong- Soulless
MY LOVELYYYYY 🥹
Let me tell you rn. I don't PLAYYYY about Miss Ava Wong. I sobbed for this woman so hard I got a splintering headache. I know what it feels like to be so insecure and not being able to move on from the past.
Man, if I could, I’d tell her over and over again just how beautiful she is. With makeup, without makeup, with her scars and prosthetic leg, without her scars and prosthetic leg. I’m a real psycho crazy bitch about her. Like I go DUMB. Tread cautiously when addressing my good sis or you’ll be popped like it's the fourth of July 💥💥💥💥
I love her to death. She’s my girl fr
9. Doo-yeong- Garden of Eden
No because guys I think I like him TOO much 💀
Mind you, I’ve only played three episodes of Garden of Eden thus far, but I'm already folding for this nigga. IT’S THE DIMPLES. IT’S THE FUCKING DIMPLESSSSS. One of you niggas has placed cameras in my room and are feeding the footage back to the devs so that they PERFECTLY construct Love Interests that are my type physically. There’s no fucking way dude.
At least make an edit of me and send it since your nosy ass likes recording me 🙄
He looks so cuuute and the scene of him watching the stars with Luna was so fucking cute too. My yearner senses are tingling and they’re NEVA wrong. This one, I can feel it in my coochie. I NEED to see his fine ass again. I’m having WITHDRAWALS bro
And he’s an actor too, oh myyy 🫦. I’ve got a movie we can make together—
10. Dean- Garden of Eden
I’m scared because he looks like he could ruin my life 😨
I’m also intrigued because he looks like he could ruin my life…🫦
Is it just me who thinks he looks alt? Or maybe ole girl down there saw his piercings and the way his hair is styled, and it took control of my rationale. Any alt men reading this? My DMs are OPEN 😛
And the CHOKEERR 😩. How about we substitute that shit with my hands aha 😛
My only problem thus far is that I think he’s nonchalant and I HATE nonchalant men 😭😭😭. Not only that, he looks TOXIC(As per, he’d ruin my life) Maybe it's because in Season 1 he leans more heavily into being a side character and you actually start romancing him in Season 2.
If that's the case, you’re going to have to watch this space, people. Between Doo-yeong and Dean? It’s gon’ be MESSYYYYY
11. Ozar- And The Haze Will Take Us
I hate when fine niggas are whores 💔💔💔
Ozar is the TEXTBOOK definition of sexy. Like ole girl down there was YOWLING when his fine ass sprite popped up on my screen. AND HE HAS LONG HAIRUHHHHH I’M ABOUT TO STROKE MY SHITTTTTT 😩😩😩. You guys are LUCKY that I hadn't thought to start posting on Tumblr during the time I was playing ATHWTU. You would have had to BLOCK me from how disgustingly vile and down bad I was for this whore 💀. Have you lot not SEEN that one scene when he had wet hair??? Lord JESUS its a fire 😮💨😮💨
I was ON Ozar like gum on a shoe. And in ways that was concerning to feminism. I genuinely needed to touch grass because it was THAT bad. You can already guess that my shit went dry IMMEDIATELY he was posted up with them other girls.
However, when I saw that one of them was a gorgeous black woman with an AFRO no less, I was like “Oh, nvm. He got it. You can keep whoring. That ain’t my nigga no more but I sure hope he’s yours my Nubian sista”. You know what Ozzy and the Cockroaches? Fairs👌🏾
12. Novak- And The Haze Will Take Us
I’ll protect you from these jealous cretins, dada 🫦
When you’re so tea that everyone around you becomes your opp. The village was HATINGGGG on my mans bro.
Mind you, the way he emerged from the Haze has to be one of the HARDEST entrances I’ve ever seen in a RC book. Everyone’s calling him demonic, meanwhile my pussy’s spread WIDE open hoping to collect all that damn aura. One man’s trash is another overly freaked-out girl’s juicy steak and buttery lobster. Don’t play with my nigga now.
And he’s so MUSCULARRRR like chilll I'm easyyyyy and he’s nonchalant to everyone but pathetic towards Lada. THESE MEN CANNOT COMPETEEE 💔💔💔
My eggs are ready to be fertilised 😙
13. Sirin- And The Haze Will Take Us
So like I love women that aren’t problematic but are labelled as such because they’re surrounded by niggas that use their brains to walk on hot charcoal
I don’t care what ANY of you say about this version of her too. It was a no-brainer decision for me when it came down to picking which one to not shut up about for the entire time I played the book. This version deserves as much recognition as the other one because, either way, the one thing Sirin is gonna do is serve face at the end of the day. FAWK the noise.
14. Xander Van Hayes- Advent No 3
I will beat the ever-loving FUCK outta this man because I hate his ass. However, I’m also not blind 🙄
I’m even ashamed to say that if not for my first introduction to his character being him abusing the daylights out of Raina, I WOULD have romanced him.
And the gag?
I dislike The Chancellor more than his bitchass
Wait, I feel sickuh….I feel like I’m gonna vomit…I feel vomity…🤢🤢🤢
The end is near. Admitting that genuinely reduced my lifespan by 50 years. I might even die tomorrow. Keep me in your prayers, my lovelies 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
There’s people out there in the fandom that think that Xander is WHITE oml 💀💔. You can’t sit there and not tell me that this man doesn't look Middle Eastern at MOST or mixed at LEAST. His surname being Van Hayes doesn’t fool me. Anton, you’re not slick. I’ve got your tea. My eyes are on you mf
15. Van- Heaven’s Secret: Requiem
Everytime I look at this man, I think about how Lane bitch slapped him in Requiem and I start shittting myself laughing 💀
Even in HS3, he still has the mark on his face from it. Like I’m WEAK. He don’t fuck with her at ALL 😭. I wonder if he still flinches anytime Lane gets too close to him 💀
Regardless, this man is SEXYYYYY. Genuinely, the side characters in Requiem are my fav. It’s REALLL muggy ‘round here. Everyone can get it. From ME especially 🫦🫦🫦
16. Sonya- Heaven’s Secret Requiem
SONYAAAAA 🥹🥹🥹
She’s my FAVVV HSR side character. The serotonin boost I get when she shows up on my screen is ASTOUNDING. All of a sudden, I can’t stop smiling and I'm kicking my feet. Mind you, I’m a stone-cold THUG. Even the most nonchalantest nigga on this earth gets annoyed by my nonchalance
Also real recognises real. She’s also a WRITER. It was so cute when she wrote that fairy tail for everyone to read. She’s such a sweetie 🥹.
Is she taking fanfic requests tho? I NEED a 60k-word fanfic of me and Greg on my desk by tomorrow. Preferably with the plot being the other uses Greg has for his muscles 😛
17. Emma- Waterlily
Not tew much on my sista now y'all. Be kind to her 🤨
I always see people call Emma annoying and I can see why(because overly clingy people make my brain breakdown because I register clinginess as being robbed of independence and I LOVE my me time BAD 💀. Plus, I hate when people touch me 💀) but GUYS. She’s my friend ☹️💔
Plus, I adore how protective she is over Riley. Who’s out there for MEEEE? Who’s gonna be protective over me like thatttt?? If onlyyyyy 👀👀👀👀
Come on, you guys can’t POSSIBLY be this dense 🙄
Also, can I just say, I LOVE her pink hair too. It makes her look ethereal. Can Xavier fight? One wrong move and imma swoop in and still his girl I’m just saying 😂✌️🏾
18. Ladora- Soulless
She’s so tea sometimes I forgot she’s bad to the mf BONE.
What she did to Willow and Vyx was terrible. But you can’t deny that you wouldn't go to war for that face too 👀. Exactly. Nod your mf head hoe 🌚
And peep how all throughout the battle, her makeup didn't move ONCE? I just had to say mother. I know she’s been using that L’Oreal setting spray. Yes lawd
Proud to say that I was very suspicious of her from the start regardless of her facecard. The fandom’s fading fr. KEEP UP MFS ✌️🏾
19. The Host- The One Vol 2
OUUUUU SHITTTT
They got to put a name on my girl. In the meantime, I’ll call her gorgeous 😙
(See what I did there guys? Hide your partners. My loose lips WILL have them took thangya 😛)
20. Avery Marks- 7 Brothers
They played making the FINER frats at Rosewood casual LIs 🙄
Avery and Logan? Dream threesome. So many niggas, so hard to pick one 🥲💔
I so wish that he was given more spotlight because surely you don't expect me to give my pussy up to TRISTAN??? The embodiment of the performative white woke liberal???? Edward Cullen’s cousin three times removed in his bootyhole??? PLEASE 💀. My nigga looks like how I feel everytime I remember I made my teacher read my smut back when I was in year 10. PALE as a ghost 💀. I still can’t believe I did that 😭
The poc in 7 Brothers were GORGEOUS 😮💨(yes, EVEN Jasper even though I don't find him attractive at all). And for a book that centred classism and achievements based on social capital rather than individual ability and attainment, I think it would have been a PERFECT poc centred book. A lot of them don't have the luxury of connections and with systemic racism in the mix, it’s even HARDER as individual ability is all they have. Imagine that in a PRIVATE UNIVERSITY. Do y'all see the vision? I hope I'm making sense
I get it was based on Langley’s experience, but even that wasn't well presented. The book was a heavy chop. And the fact it was the second book I read after the masterpiece that was W: Time Catcher?? Imagine my disappointment 💀
21. Maria Shu- Advent No 3
My bad.
DOCTOR Maria Shu 😛
Put some RESPECT on my gworl’s status. Thank you
Man, I missed seeing her and Adriana on my screen. There’s too much testosterone in this bitch. All I ever see now is Chancellor, Chancellor, Chancellor 🙄. That white man could be digging in my ass and I still wouldn't give a fuck. Can I see the women, Anton??? Can I see my sexy dark chocolate shyt Colonel Zane Carver??? Please??? I’m genuinely irritated
I haven't played this update for three reasons. Number one, I miss Mama Shu 💔💔💔. Number two, Anton played in my face because there’s no new romance advancements for Zane. Number three, if Raina fucks the Chancellor one more time, I’ll personally go out of my way to shove that fuckass mask of his where the sun don’t shine, and then take it a step further and shove it in places that the sun shines on but it’ll exacerbate the pain if it shines on ‘em. You get me?
Anyway, yeah. Love Maria to death and Anton does her so damn dirty. Mtchew 🙄
——————————————————————————
Give your thumb(or your index finger if you’re on a laptop) a lil’ kiss. This one was LENGTHYYYY. Be honest guys, you were disappointed the last list was over so soon.
Yes?
AWWWNNN YOU WANT MY ASS 🥹🥹🥹
Since I don't like owing people, consider my promise fulfilled. Matter of fact, from now on, if you have a list idea, feel free to pop it into my asks along with any other things you want me to comment on! All you need to do is suggest and I’ll do the rest(that was a BARRR 🔥🔥🔥).
Again, I hope you enjoyed this list, and to the people that are seeing this for the very first time, I hope you weren't too scandalised. I pride myself with having a way with words 😙
And as always, there will be a part 2 because there are too many characters that motivate to take up stretching classes so feel free to tell me characters that personally make you swoon. Until then next one.
