Being fetishised broke me. Now I'm taking back my power
Date any Asian woman and you'll soon realise we are not a monolith. We are layered, unique, and ultimately human.
The term "yellow fever" refers to a sexual attraction to people of East or South-East Asian descent. This fetishization has caused emotional pain for the reporter, an Asian woman who has experienced it repeatedly in romantic relationships. Growing up in New Zealand, the reporter was often subjected to comments about her appearance and cultural background, which made her feel unwanted and objectified.
Despite her parents' love and encouragement, she felt like she never quite fit the Eurocentric beauty standards, leading her to believe she was unattractive. As a performer, the reporter has often been typecast into stereotypical roles such as the "lotus blossom" or the "dragon lady." She believes that these roles are perpetuated by the fetishization of Asian women, and she wants to reclaim her power by telling her own story and showing that Asian women are complex and deserving of love and respect.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
