Letters
By Daily Bruin Staff
Nov. 4, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 5, 1998
Letters
Asians buried
by stereotypes
As an Asian American woman, I find it difficult to swallow these
archaic stereotypes about us. Why does the United States, in 1998,
still want to pigeon-hole me as this model minority, submissive,
geisha girl?
I have come to the conclusion that society, even my own peers,
do not want to recognize me as an American, but as a quiet,
catering China doll that steps on backs, serves tea and eats
dogs.
Throughout my life, people (including school administrators)
have complemented me on my "perfect" English and lack of an accent.
As a native born-and-raised Californian, I would hope that my
English would be up to this country’s standards. Would they even
think to say this to my blonde-haired, blue-eyed neighbor, even
though her parents were immigrants to this country too?
Don’t get me wrong; I love that there are such eccentric faces
and personalities in this country (especially in Los Angeles), but
I feel like a foreigner in this country because society will not
see me as an individual, but rather as an exotic Oriental (or
Ornamental) from some unfamiliar culture in the East.
Asian American women come in all shapes and sizes, not just
homely, church-going, goody-goody, Suzie Wong exotic sexpots, and,
of course, pissed-off angry little Asian militants (like me).
Jennifer Lee
Fourth-year
Sociology
Weight is just
a number
In Aimee Phan’s Oct. 26 article, "Weighing In," she managed to
relay some good advice about how not to gain weight or avoid the
"Freshman 15," but I want to emphasize what I feel to be a very
important fact: weight does not matter. What does weight tell you
about a person? Nothing! It’s just a number! Can you determine the
fitness level or health of an individual simply by their weight?
No!
Body fat, not weight, is the proper indicator for good physical
health  and a healthier look  which, unfortunately,
seems to be everybody’s priority.
Mark Jacobs
Third-year
Communication studies
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