Asian men in the west have always been subjected to negative sexual stereotypes of being awkward, asexual, unattractive and always being the goofy sidekick or the character with no friends. All this, thanks to portrayals from Hollywood and other Western media – Australia is a major culprit of this too.
Things are slowly changing, with superhero films like “Shang-Chi” and “Snake Eyes”, and history hasn’t always been unkind, as we can’t forget legends like Bruce Lee, showing how sexy Asian male martial artists are – but, this is still a very long way away from dispelling negative stereotypes, and its still a fact that Asian men are not high on the totem pole on dating apps.
In saying this, Korean Australian comedian – Harry Jun, has created an animation based on his life growing up as an Asian man in Wollongong ( for those who are unaware, Wollongong is 2ish hours south of Sydney. He made the video as part of ABC Australia’s “Everyday Racism” section.
As a comedian, Jun has performed in venues all across Australia including The Comedy Store, The Chatswood Concourse and The Comedy Lounge in Perth. He was also a speaker at the #StopAsianHate Australia vigil in Sydney in April this year.
Please take the time to check out this 3 minute video, it will not only open your eyes, but bring more awareness of this seldom discussed issue in Australia.
Images via Harry Jun Facebook page and YouTube