The Model Minority trope is one of the most harmful stereotypes of Asian-Americans because of its deep integration into American society and its ability to be seemingly beneficial to the community while maintaining a hidden violence. The trope is characterized by the Asian submissive, over-achiever with little emotional life, blessed with natural intelligence, determined to integrate seemingly into American society, and so flawless that they are robbed of humanity and act similarly to robots and machines. Characteristics associated with the model minority myth can be seen in Charlie Chan’s assimilation into American society and submissive demeanor. The basis behind this trope was furthered during when numerous Chinese Americans heavily focused on distancing themselves from Japanese Americans. As an example of such attempts, Chinese American organizations distributed pins that exclaimed, “I’m Chinese,” or “I Hate [the Japanese] Worse Than You Do.” Public and political support for Chinese Americans soon followed to reduce anti-Chinese sentiments and repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, in part because of the United States government’s desire to mend its relationship with China. The Citizen’s Committee to Repeal Chinese Exclusion deployed a strategy to recast Chinese Americans as nonviolent, law-abiding citizens. The communities and cultural values of Chinese Americans were cast as the solutions to social ills, and Chinese Americans quickly became prime examples of assimilation into the United States.¹ The model minority stereotype was weaponized in the 1950s with the rise of the Civil Right Movement as a tool to create a divide between Black Americans and Asian Americans who supported the movement. It was a tool to delegitimize the claims by Black Americans and various civil rights leaders that institutionalized racism was embedded into the United States’ system and positioned the Asian American community against Black American ‘ghettos’.² In a U.S. News and World report from 1966, the trope was utilized in this very context and the following was written: “at a time when it is being proposed that hundreds of billions be spent to uplift Negroes and other minorities…one such minority, the nation’s 300,000 Chinese-Americans, is winning wealth and respect by dint of its own hard work…not a welfare check.”³ With this divide created between Asian Americans and other minorities, the model minority becomes the a modern yellow peril as people hold disdain for Asian achievement and it becomes a cause for resentment. Such resentment is not limited to other minority groups, but present in the white, American community as the continued representation of Asian-Americans as doctors and other high-paying jobs within media has provoked a fears that the Asian-Americans are stealing jobs; a narrative that mirrors that of the 19th century when Asian Americans posed a competitive threat for whites in the American railroad and farming job markets. The harm of this trope stems not only from its weaponization against other minority groups and fear of job stealing, but it likewise erases of the struggles of individual Asian-Americans and the unequal opportunities afforded to those of different Asian ethnicities. The stereotype diminishes the struggles of Asian from poorer backgrounds because it has created belief that that will simply work their way to success given that they are provide d thee natural gifts of intelligence and determination. To highlight the disparities within the Asian-American community, pay reports show that for every dollar the average white man makes in the United States, an Asian Indian woman makes $1.21, a Taiwanese woman makes $1.16, a Samoan woman makes $0.62, and a Burmese woman makes $0.50.⁴ The damaging portrayal of all Asian-Americans as the same is buried underneath a stereotype that acts as a compliment and prevents targeted assistance for various Asian-American groups that face discrimination and poverty every single day. The model minority myth is clever lie that says Asian-Americans are doing well economically and academically and therefore have benefitted from an elevated status among people of color, erasing centuries of systematic discrimination that persists today. Hollywood’s portrayal of Asian-Americans in light of the model minority myth perpetuates the stereotype and furthers the invisible harm affecting the Asian-American community. Film does not shy away from utilizing the trope in various forms and even representing it in films intended for children. Hollywood’s ability to reach all sectors of life and people allows public opinion and historical stereotypes to embed themselves in public narrative; because of this, the model minority trope remains a poison to our society today. 

Below is a well-worded argument by English talk show host, John Oliver. Within this video he details the dangers of the model minority myth and some of its originations. This video is a useful to watch to understand the various complexities of the trope as well as a helpful tool for anyone who is a visual and audio learner.