Eileen Gu and Alyssa Liu are being co-opted by an extremist mixed-race eugenics movement. What does this phenomenon reveal about our geopolitical moment?
This article is INSANEEEEE. I dooo think it's also interesting to note that when people talk about East vs West or being Wasian they mostly mean being EAST Asian, and not much to do with the other parts. This is something you see reflected in most conversations surrounding "Asia".
Incredible dive; had no idea about the eugenics undercurrent which is so dark. I’ve been feeling something like discomfort when it comes to the level of adulation being shown to these hot new public figures (see also: Hudson Williams, Lola Tung) on account of their mixed bg. On the one hand, it is zero fault of their own; all of them embrace that aspect of their identity. On the other, this “Princess of Wasia” thing seems to have gone from in-community joke to fetishization from folks outside the community.
This cultural reinforcement, whether ill intentioned or not, of Wasian >>> Asian feels like another vector for yt supremacy in a moment where progressivism has stalled, and frankly a regression back to the social norms of 20-30 years ago.
Part of me is resigned to only seeing representation in the form of Wasian faces in Western public life for the next 5-10 years.
Great note. Tangentially related to the idea of "Wasian >>> Asian" but I feel like our standards for Wasians have stalled????? Like 2010 Wasians totally mogg Hudson Williams and Lola Tung lol
I think this roots back to techno-orientalism/fetishizing (east) Asia as being more cultured/disciplined/futuristic/advanced/cleaner than other places, especially given how the West's fears of being technologically, economically, and politically overtaken by (probably just east) Asia are becoming more realised by the day. So this new wave of eugenics you describe seems to be an attempt to domesticate the exotified (east) asian-ness -- the 'model minority', into a sort of 'honourary' whiteness, if that makes sense.
Extremist is right... 46F Wasian here. Just got back home to the US after two weeks in Hong Kong for CNY with family. In some ways, I think (female) Wasians have always had to deal with aspects of fetishization, but this article feels so dark and more than a little dystopian. Well-written and insightful, just super creepy.
There’s so many ethical issues with talking about young women this way, especially based on gossip. They are human beings—not lab experiments existing for your entertainment, regardless of their parentage. Mixed people deserve respect.
This article is INSANEEEEE. I dooo think it's also interesting to note that when people talk about East vs West or being Wasian they mostly mean being EAST Asian, and not much to do with the other parts. This is something you see reflected in most conversations surrounding "Asia".
As a Filipino I totally get you
Incredible dive; had no idea about the eugenics undercurrent which is so dark. I’ve been feeling something like discomfort when it comes to the level of adulation being shown to these hot new public figures (see also: Hudson Williams, Lola Tung) on account of their mixed bg. On the one hand, it is zero fault of their own; all of them embrace that aspect of their identity. On the other, this “Princess of Wasia” thing seems to have gone from in-community joke to fetishization from folks outside the community.
This cultural reinforcement, whether ill intentioned or not, of Wasian >>> Asian feels like another vector for yt supremacy in a moment where progressivism has stalled, and frankly a regression back to the social norms of 20-30 years ago.
Part of me is resigned to only seeing representation in the form of Wasian faces in Western public life for the next 5-10 years.
Great note. Tangentially related to the idea of "Wasian >>> Asian" but I feel like our standards for Wasians have stalled????? Like 2010 Wasians totally mogg Hudson Williams and Lola Tung lol
I think this roots back to techno-orientalism/fetishizing (east) Asia as being more cultured/disciplined/futuristic/advanced/cleaner than other places, especially given how the West's fears of being technologically, economically, and politically overtaken by (probably just east) Asia are becoming more realised by the day. So this new wave of eugenics you describe seems to be an attempt to domesticate the exotified (east) asian-ness -- the 'model minority', into a sort of 'honourary' whiteness, if that makes sense.
Yes!! This!
Extremist is right... 46F Wasian here. Just got back home to the US after two weeks in Hong Kong for CNY with family. In some ways, I think (female) Wasians have always had to deal with aspects of fetishization, but this article feels so dark and more than a little dystopian. Well-written and insightful, just super creepy.
nice
Glad you liked it Aidan!
Outstanding read
Love u bro
This is a question I do not want to have answered, through another commenter or via a future example: can this world get more screwed-up?
(Unfortunately, we all the know the answer is tragically, yes)
It is interesting the US is defined as white and China as Asia.
There’s so many ethical issues with talking about young women this way, especially based on gossip. They are human beings—not lab experiments existing for your entertainment, regardless of their parentage. Mixed people deserve respect.