In response to "Consuming Asianness," Mr. David Regenold asked a very thoughtful follow-up question that I haven't, until now, had a chance to address. He wanted to know, "Exactly where is this ["domestic" and "submissive" stereotype of Asian women] coming from? White Guys? Or is it a reflection of historical Asian domestic expectations?" I'd like to answer this question by … [Read more...] about Understanding the Asian Fetish Through the Colonial Logic of Pornography (NSFW)
Women and Gender
Not Just a Pretty Face: Miss Vietnam of Southern California to Attend MIT
Step, pause, turn, spin, and pose. Beauty pageantry is an industry that continues to flourish and draw speculation from all parts of the world. Vietnam and its communities at large are no exception. Despite the stigmas of today surrounding pageant contestants as being superficial and lacking intelligence, recent winners of the Miss Vietnam of Southern California scholarship … [Read more...] about Not Just a Pretty Face: Miss Vietnam of Southern California to Attend MIT
Nudity and More: Performance Art in Vietnam
Blue feathers were laid neatly in a rectangular shape on the floor in the middle of an audience-filled room in Ha Noi, Vietnam. A thirty-something-year-old performance artist by the name of Lai Thi Dieu Ha then casually entered the venue. She sauntered to the rug-like area, undressed herself completely, poured glue over her body, and attached the blue feathers onto herself. … [Read more...] about Nudity and More: Performance Art in Vietnam
Consuming Asianness: Mr. AsianFetish and the (Obnoxious) White Peril; or, a More Serious Companion Piece
Note: Some profanity follows. Read and enjoy! I recently wrote the article entitled "Consuming Whiteness: Food and (Inter)Racial Politics at Your Local University" about the racial and sexual dynamics involved when speaking about/with metaphors of food. It ended with me imagining myself in the position of an Asian woman rejecting, in somewhat colorful terms, the forced … [Read more...] about Consuming Asianness: Mr. AsianFetish and the (Obnoxious) White Peril; or, a More Serious Companion Piece
Nail salons: The next toxic legacy?
By Laura Waxmann, writer for Vietnam Reporting Project For many women, walking into a nail salon does magic -- it's an inexplicably exhilarating experience which can only be matched by a few, equally rewarding activities such as shoe-shopping and wedding planning. In fact, "getting our nails done," whether that means indulging in a manicure, pedicure or both, makes many … [Read more...] about Nail salons: The next toxic legacy?