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A Brief Look at Hypersexuality
The body is not a neutral site Rather, the body molded by history and power dynamics is a locus of oppression. Forces such as colonialism, capitalism, and heteropatriarchy work together to shape and discipline the racially marked and sexualized Asian/American female body These forces inscribe hypersexuality onto the bodies of Asian/American females, rendering them victim to racial fetishization As defined by Robin Zheng, a racial fetish is the “exclusive or near-exclusive preference for sexual intimacy with others belonging to a specific racial out-group” (401). The data that men of all races except Asian men respond the most to Asian women on dating apps captures the ubiquity of Asian fetishization (King). Asian fetishization is not a case of flattery but a denial of intrinsic humanity and personhood. Especially since the hypersexualization of Asian women, and subsequent fetishization, causes Asian women to become targets of hate and sexual abuse.
Yet, the fetishization and objectification of Asian women is not new. From European explorers in the Middle Ages to US military occupation around East and Southeast Asia, individuals have long fetishized Asian women as sexualized objects. Systems of prostitution began to proliferate around US military bases, where Filipina sex workers report “being treated like a toy or pig by the American [soldiers]” (Woan 285). These sexually denigrating stereotypes of Asian women eventually became entrenched in American society through the passage of restrictive Asian immigration laws For instance, the Page Act of 1875 presumed Asian female immigrants were prostitutes and prevented them from entering the US
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While the problem of fetishization has existed for centuries, Asian/American women still find it challenging to identify Often, the distinction between a romantic preference and fetish becomes blurry and unclear. Faced with overwhelming uncertainty, Asian/American women in the dating scene must often grapple with the question: do they genuinely like me, or is it fetishization?
