Men’s Right Asians: Misogyny Rooted in Self Hate
Image Courtesy: The New Yorker
MRAsians, or Men’s Rights Asians, have become increasingly common perpetrators of online harassment and abuse towards Asian women, often those who are outspoken about social issues regarding race and gender. The term Men’s Rights Asians originates from Asian men who are a part of the Men’s Rights Movement or Men’s Rights Activists. These toxic movements perpetuate anti-feminist and misogynistic ideals and often have ties to incel communities on websites like 4chan and Reddit.
Reddit community r/hapas, previously ran by now-deleted user u/EurasianTiger, began as a breeding ground for misogynistic ideals where male users had an outlet to express their self-loathing and share their disdain growing up with interracial parents, consisting almost exclusively of users having Asian mothers and white fathers. The word “hapa” derives from Hawaii, meaning “half” or “part”. It has come to be used as a word to describe people with mixed ancestry, most often when referring to individuals who are part East Asian or Southeast Asian. Some view the word as offensive to Hawaiian culture and offensive in general, likening it to terms like “half-breed” or “mulatto”. The r/hapas bio describes the subreddit as providing “…An anti-racist safe space to empower Hapas who grow up in interracial families that suffer from White Patriarchy and internalized white supremacy.” Dedicated users of this subreddit resent their upbringings, viewing their white fathers as weak, antisocial, or socially outcast men who fetishize Asian women. Their mothers fall victim to these harsh mentalities; however, they are contrastingly viewed as cold, controlling, cruel, and antagonistic; stereotypical “Tiger Moms”. In a mega-thread, user u/EurasianTiger claims “nagging, bitter” Asian mothers are to blame for their “extreme, broken, sexless, loveless homes.” On the other hand, users of this subreddit praise Asian fathers in interracial relationships, claiming “…the most successful half-Asians have Asian fathers” while using celebrities like Keanu Reeves, Brandon Lee, and Dean Cain to support their arguments.
Image Courtesy: South China Morning Post
While r/hapas serves as an outlet for Asian men to express their feelings of self-loathing and experiences, subreddit r/aznidentity is where misogyny and anger towards Asian women run rampant. The interracial relationships mentioned above, referred to as WMAF (White Male Asian Female), is frowned upon in the MRAsians community. Asian men view Asian women who date white men as “white worshippers” and “self-hating” with a “colonial mentality”. They believe that by dating white men, Asian women are actively perpetuating the negative stereotypes of their masculinity and that Asian men are undesirable. In what extreme MRAsians believe to be “selective breeding” and “eugenics”, these Asian women generate the fear that an increase in interracial relationships will lead to the extinction of the Asian male. These sentiments don’t arise from the ideals of racial purity, in fact, AMWF relationships (Asian Male White Female) are seen as acceptable and the ideal, due to the aforementioned belief that Asian fathers raise more successful and happier children. Asian women who date other POC men, such as black or Hispanic, also fall victim to trolls, with trolls claiming that they have merely “settled” after being unable to “snag” a white man. Followers of the MRAsians community go as far as to suggest that, “Asian women are the ONLY women on Earth to favor men other than their own…”.
Image Courtesy: 34th Street
Despite these communities claiming to be a safe space for mixed-race Asian men and women, those who reject or deny these negative beliefs and views are dismissed and promptly labeled as “happy hapas” or “white trolls” in response. Involvement in toxic communities such as r/hapas or r/aznidtentity can lead to extremist views and violent outcomes. In May 2014, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger carried out a series of attacks in Isla Vista, California, citing his multiracial heritage and lack of success with women as his motivations. Aside from the toxic, generalized, misogynistic, and racist views towards Asian women, these communities fail to acknowledge LGBTQ+ Asian women as well as instances of Asian women dating Asian men. With the cultural melting pot that is the United States, interracial relationships between not only Asian women but interracial relationships, in general, deserve to be less stigmatized, as immersing yourself in other cultures can provide learning experiences and can be the source of a loving and healthy relationship.
Strike Out,
Writer: Jayna O
Editors: Breanna Tang & Lexi Fernandez
Tallahassee