The Washington Post reports that presidential candidate Andrew Yang has been criticized for reinforcing the Model Minority Myth.
During the third Democratic, Yang faced off against 9 other candidates (Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, and Julián Castro) discussing an array of topics affecting America.
One discussing touched upon Americans’ access to healthcare, which Sanders said was a “right not a privilege”. Biden backed the Obamacare system, providing figures to support his revised plan.
When Yang began his views on the topic, the Asian American decided to open with a joke. “I’m Asian, so I know a lot of doctors,” Yang said.
The 44-year-old then went on to say that “[Asian doctors] tell me that they spend a lot of time on paperwork, avoiding being sued, and navigating the insurance bureaucracy. We have to change the incentives so instead of revenue and activity, people are focused on our health in the health care system.”
Yang’s joke has since caused controversy online, with many Asian Americans expressing their disapproval of the Asian candidate’s joke.
Reappropriate blogger Jenn Fang said Yang’s joke was aggravating. “I found this part galling, because here he is sort of obtusely reinforcing the model-minority myth and model-minority stereotypes.” said Fang, who highlighted white primary-care doctors out number Asians at almost 7 to 1.
“Yet we don’t see white people saying, ‘I’m white, therefore I know a lot of doctors,’ ” Fang tweeted. “Because white normative identity politics accepts diversity in whites, but rejects it in nonwhites.”
Women’s March Disability Caucus founder Mia Ives-Rublee said Yang is not doing the Asian American community any good.
“I am an Asian American, I don’t know more doctors than anyone else,” she tweeted. “I am really sick of Andrew Yang and how he continuously hurts the [Asian American and Pacific Islander] community by using stereotypes that have harmed our community for centuries. It’s not cute. It’s not okay.”
Janelle Wong, a professor of Asian American studies at the University of Maryland said Yang’s strides in representation should push him to shatter stereotypes.
“While it’s certainly dangerous to deploy stereotypes, Andrew Yang is also breaking stereotypes by seeking the presidential nomination,” Wong said. “It puts even more pressure on him to discuss the ways in which race has mattered for who he is today, including beyond being good at math.”
In related news, SNL has fired Shane Gillis for making racist remarks about Yang and Asians.
“I am Asian, so I know a lot of doctors” 😂😂😂Okay @AndrewYang got points from me there #DemocraticDebate
— Esther Choo, MD MPH (@choo_ek) September 13, 2019
White primary care doctors outnumber Asian ones by nearly 7 to 1. Yet we don’t see white people saying “I’m white, therefore I know a lot of doctors.”
Because white normative identity politics accepts diversity in whites, but rejects it in non-whites.https://t.co/t2G9kxZBIa https://t.co/3A588HMfhD
— Reappropriate (@reappropriate) September 13, 2019
I am an Asian American, I don’t know more doctors than anyone else. I am really sick of Andrew Yang and how he continuously hurts the AAPI community by using stereotypes that have harmed our community for centuries. It’s not cute. It’s not okay. #DemDebates https://t.co/DZyE4wiu30
— Roll with Mia 🔥🐉 (@SeeMiaRoll) September 13, 2019
