Midterm I.D.s Flashcards
1
Q
Angel Island
A
WHAT:
- an island in SF Bay that served as an immigration station
- used to inspect Asian immigrants trying to enter US
- particularly used to inspect Chinese immigrants who had been denied entry because of Chinese Exclusion Act
SO WHAT:
- very different experience for European immigrants bc sometimes Asian immigrants detained for weeks
- shows discrimination of Asian people, xenophobia
- became physical embodiment of American control of race, gender, and class
2
Q
Good wife, wise mother
A
WHAT:
- idealized traditional role for Japanese women to take care of her family and home
- emerged during Meiji period
SO WHAT:
- result of Japanese nationalism
- women’s duty to take care of domestic sphere in order to aid the nation
- limited women’s goals and actions by confining them to the home and children
- In US, notion was used to control picture brides who eloped with other men; Japanese leaders wanted to confine women to home and be faithful to husbands
3
Q
Mui Tsai
A
WHAT:
- daughters of Chinese prostitutes in US or young girls brought from China to work as servants (sold by families)
- worked as domestic servants for merchant families
- cared for children, cleaned house, ran errands
- many faced abuse and neglect, though some of their mistresses were kind
- could hope to either be married off to a husband that would provide for them or would be sold into prostitution
SO WHAT:
- represented child labor in the Chinese community
- born into class and couldn’t get out
- shows hard life of Chinese immigrants and system that favored boys over girls - girls seen as economic drag to family
4
Q
Picture Brides
A
WHAT:
- Japanese system where immigrants in the US would choose a bride via matchmaker based on photographs
- men would make themselves appear more attractive in photos so women would marry them
- women came to US to find husbands but were shocked when they didn’t look like pictures; some very unhappy in marriage, ran away/eloped
SO WHAT:
- men wanted picture brides because of low male-to-female ratio especially after passing of Gentleman’s Agreement in 1908 that prohibited Japanese travel to US. They wanted to get married and have families but not enough women
- women wanted to marry because they saw arranged marriage as economic opportunity to make money
- goes back to theme of Asian women coming to US for opportunity but being disappointed with both marriage and environment
5
Q
Gentleman’s Agreement
A
WHAT:
- agreement between US and Japan in order to calm tensions
- stated Japan would not issue passports to emigrants to US and in return, US would rescind school segregation order
SO WHAT:
- agreement portrays anti-Japanese sentiment at the time
- Japanese wanted to make money in US; found other ways of coming to US by getting Mexican, Canadian passports
- many people feared jobs would be taken away from them by the influx of Japanese immigration
- racism, xenophobia
6
Q
Anna May Wong
A
WHAT:
- the first Chinese-American movie star
- famous movies include Toll of the Sea and Shanghai Express
SO WHAT:
- embodiment of stereotypes of Asian American women in media (sensual, exotic, submissive, erotic, etc.)
- but some people see her as a pioneer for Asian American actresses since they were so underrepresented
- famous roles include Dragon Lady (treacherous, villainess, snake in the grass, exotic, diabolical)
7
Q
Dragon Lady
A
WHAT:
- was at first a role played by Anna May Wong in Dr. Fu Manchu series
- character was seductive, treacherous, diabolical, exotic
SO WHAT:
- became a stereotype to describe Asian women who were seen as diabolic, treacherous, deceitful, seductive, tyrannical
- has been attached to many powerful Asian women in a derogatory fashion
- goes back to seeing Asian American women as these stereotypes rather than an actual person
8
Q
1875 Page Law
A
WHAT:
- federal immigration law that prohibited “undesirables” from entering US
- aimed at people from Asia
- restricted undesirables, prostitutes, and convicts
- big intention was to ban Chinese female prostitution
- only women of good moral character could enter; code for race, class, and gender discrimination
SO WHAT:
- outcome: restricted female immigration; left lots of Chinese bachelors who couldn’t get married and have families
- significance: 1st immigration law to single out group based on race, class, and gender
- particularly aimed at unemployed single women
9
Q
Quok Shee
A
WHAT:
- Chinese women who was alleged wife of merchant but hard to prove this since she did not know her husband hardly at all
- tried coming to US but was detained at Angel Island for almost two years while her case was being investigated
- questions asked of her to distinguish merchant wives from prostitutes; specific questions about home, marriage, neighborhood, etc.
SO WHAT:
- one of the unfortunate cases regarding the page law and Chinese Exclusion Act
- discrimination against women who were suspected of being prostitutes; obvious bias towards merchants’ wives because they were seen as having better moral character
- also shows difficulties many Chinese faced in coming to US –> discrimination, racism
10
Q
Filial Piety
A
WHAT:
- Confucian philosophy that stated virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors
- younger person obeys and later cares for elderly parents/family members
SO WHAT:
- many women subjected to filial piety in negative way
- example, prostitutes still sent money back to parents in China
- going back to theme of “debt-bound daughter” subjected to gender biases
11
Q
Atomettes
A
WHAT:
- started as a social club for young Japanese girls where they found refuge from racism, discrimination, and exclusion in the US especially during Pearl Harbor attack
- were just one of many social clubs that second generation Japanese American participated in
- generation known as Nisei
SO WHAT:
-gave Nisei youth outlet and safe space to be themselves
in face of traditional values vs. second generation youth and culture
-exemplifies second generation Asian American culture in US
12
Q
Cable Act
A
WHAT:
- also known as Married Women’s Independent National Act
- stated that if you were a 2nd generation Asian American woman would lose her citizenship if she married a 1st generation man
- makes women take on husband’s citizenship status
- but did not apply to men
SO WHAT:
- was a great blow to women’s individuality and legal status which kept it in the hands of her husbands
- passed at a time in the 1920s when women started to become more independent and out in society
13
Q
Yellow Peril
A
WHAT:
- racist color metaphor that stated people from East Asia were danger to Western way of life
- perpetuates that East Asian immigration is encroaching and detrimental to US
- came in the influx of Chinese immigrants coming to US for work
SO WHAT:
- xenophobia left behind many discriminatory laws and regulations against Asian immigration including Chinese Exclusion Act, Page Act, Angel Island detention center
- also left behind legacy of racism and exclusion of Asian people
- viewed Chinese men as feminine, odd, smoking opium all the time, liked living in poor conditions
- viewed women as immoral, seductive, prostitutes
14
Q
Foot Binding
A
WHAT:
- custom of binding Chinese woman’s feet from very early in age so as to modify shape of feet to be very small
- common 10th-19th century
- seen as a status symbol and beautiful; most common in upperclass women
SO WHAT:
- limited mobility of women, resulting in lifelong disabilities
- from feminist perspective, seen as a means of control by the patriarchy
- confined women to the home since they could not walk far; better to take care of home and children rather than leaving, also made women dependent on husband
- was used as a physical marker of female Chinese immigration to US; those with bound feet seen as upperclass and not prostitutes so had easier time getting in
15
Q
Suzie Wong
A
WHAT:
- a character played by Nancy Kwan in the movie The World of Suzie Wong
- portrayed as the “hooker with a heart of gold”
SO WHAT:
- became yet another negative stereotype of Asian women seen as sexual, erotic, exotic yet childlike and subservient
- also shows that Asian women only like white men and need them to save them from perils such as poverty
- Slaying the Dragon: perpetuates ultimate western male fantasy of finding Asian wife who is hypersexual and subservient
