Asian American Beauty - Female Body Image (Part 2 of 2)

Directed by Calvin Sun (calvin.sun@caa.columbia.edu).

***WINNER of the audience favorite "One to Watch Award" in the longest running Asian American film festival in the world; the 30th Annual Asian American International Film Festival!!!***

Director's Note:

We do NOT intend to show that issues like anorexia and bulimia are specifically Asian American problems. We instead wanted people to see that Asian Americans teenagers struggle with eating disorders just like any other American.

It has been a phenomenon that issues such as eating disorders has been an extremely taboo subject among Asian Americans who come from more conservative backgrounds.

We also must reveal the contradiction of how Asian American girls are pressured in this society to look both "western" and "Asian."

This includes pressures on how many Asian American girls are supposed to play up this well-known image of looking innocent, weak, and petite as "attractive", but at the same time mainstream media depicts Asian American females as alluring, "exotic," and sexy.

We want to show that some are finally speaking out on the issue.

--

Part 2 of 2 in a film discussing the Asian American opinion on female body image, beauty standards, eating disorders, and unspoken pressures to be thin in both American and Asian cultures.

An otherwise taboo subject to talk about among specifically Asian Americans, students at Columbia University are now tired of keeping mum about the issue and are speaking out.

This video does not aim to cover every single ground regarding the topic; instead it seeks to begin dialogue with a generalized approach to the problems as a first step. We want first to show that Asian Americans are like any other American struggling with issues of body image while at the same time facing pressures coming from their own respective cultures.

This video certainly focuses on the former point; We hope that the latter will be explored more in the future.

We also hope that the people in this video will inspire others around the world to undertake similar projects that would focus deeper into these issues regarding body image and perhaps more specifically Asian American body image.

Therefore, this is only the beginning.


Directed & edited by Calvin Sun.

Produced by Aretha Choi & Marilla Li.

For more information, please contact calvin.sun@caa.columbia.edu


Dedicated to my father,
Alexander S. Sun
1939-2006

calvin.sun@caa.columbia.edu

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Asia
• America
• student
• Columbia
• University
• body
• image
• beauty
• eat
• disorder
• woman
• bulimia
• girl
• sexy
• anorexia
• sex
• weight
• loss

[DrCherryPie]

I'm not asian but I think asian people should not change their eyelid shape because its beautiful the way it is, asian eyes are unique and defining and if i were asian i wouldn't want to change them

imho, really thin bodies are unattractive and scary and i definitely see curvaceous fuller bodies like marilyn monroe as way more attractive

[gutsgutslifelife]

Draviina,

Comments like yours lower the confidence of Asian men, and raise the confidence of white men.

Basically, women with negative body image have low confidence, and it's treated as a social problem for all to deal with, hence this video.

Men with low confidence are just considered weak and few people care at all.

You are like a black man who says, "I like white women, cuz black women have too much attitude." Not good enough. You need to try harder. Open your mind.

[Rootdmd1]

I think Asian American women have the same issues as all American women. Asian women of all nationalities should understand that they beautiful just the way they are. Their eyes are their most valuable asset. They are the most beautiful women in the world. PLEASE don't change.

[Snevilly]

This was fantastic, thanks for sharing.

[BOkchOybOy91]

She must wear ladylike clothing and have magnificent hygiene. The media seems to amplify the idea that all women must fit a certain criteria in order to be looked upon as attractive. Sadly, this is a marketing technique to keep women striving to attain an impossible body. Though growing old is part of life, aging is considered a bad thing, whereas numerous nations elsewhere accept these natural changes. In some cultures, growing old is a good thing because one becomes wiser with age.

[BOkchOybOy91]

The media influences women’s beliefs and attitudes about their bodies in many ways. Women are often portrayed as feminine, dainty and clean. In American society, a woman’s worth is largely dependent on one’s physical characteristics. An “attractive” woman by societal standards must fit a certain body type; she must have a slim body, flawless skin and generally a passive nature.

[tryandlike]

I love thin Asian women with double eyelids, a high nose, pretty face, plump lips, larger breasts, a firm round butt, in shape and tan.

[sarukage222]

I don't have a standard for beauty. when there is a 'standard for beauty' then the idea like body image comes in. Thin is nice, curvy is nice, everything in between is fine. I don't know how people can only limit themselves to a certain type. Beauty is something I see in someone, it's an overall thing. If I don't know someone they can still look beautiful, but who they are as a whole determines whether they're attractive or just good looking.

[FearlessResistance]

The proof is in front of your face everyday. Just read the ingredients lists of any processed food and then research them on wikipedia or something. It's no big secret, it's not a conspiracy. America is the only 1st world nation that uses genetically modified bovine growth hormone, It's banned everywhere else... for a reason.

[CarringtonVilla]

@FearlessResistance "the American diet is a toxic waste dump," and you have proof of this where?

[DavidL913]

The whole beauty , appearance industry is a multi-billion DOLLAR INDUSTRY. of course they are going to make these ads so they can easily profit and manipulate the masses into following a certain type of beauty appearance. MONEY MONEY MONEY. Combined /w the food industry, it is easy to to target young women (doesn't matter what ethnicity or race) , which pull in tons of profit. Those foods shown in the video that are "health foods" , are by far anything but healthy.