Once deemed undesirable, Asians are the most marriageble minority group

Posted by Ando, 20 Jan

Less than a century ago, Asians were dubbed "unassimilable" members of the human race full of "filth and disease". They were denied the right to intermarry and right to become US citizens; blocked from attending white schools up until 1952, when the McCarren-Walter Immigration and Naturalization Act was passed. Despite all that, today, Asian Americans are at the vanguard of the rising interracial marriage trend - about 1/3 of Asian marriages in the United States are interracial.

"From undesirable to marriageable" in less than a century? What brought on this change?

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The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, brought on "a new stream of highly selected, highly educated immigrants from Asia." Asian immigrant groups, especially the Chinese and Koreans, are more highly educated than the US population in general; 28% of them are college graduates. According to the Pew Research, the once “marginal members of the human race,” are now the least segregated minority groups in the US, even in relation to residential segregation. This makes it easier for them to interact with members of other groups, especially Whites... making it easier for them to date and marry interracially.

But just being in contact with other groups doesn't entirely guarantee interracial marriage. Other groups seem to have the willingness to date and marry Asians. according to Frank D. Bean and Jennifer Lee in "The Diversity Paradox" intermarriage with Asians seems to be more “culturally acceptable” for Whites than intermarriage with Blacks. Asians have become America’s most attractive, desirable and marriageable minority group.

But much as Asians in general are most marriageable, Asian men seem to be the least preferred of all men by women of all races. Asian women intermarry at twice the rate and are the most preferred racial group by men of all races, stereotyped to be the most feminine, exotic and hypersexual, hence desirable. On the other hand Asian men are stereotyped as non-masculine, hence undesirable.

However, much as they have had racial mobility, have higher levels of education with high socioeconomic outcomes, they still haven't been awarded equal status as Whites. But pitted against other minority groups, they are seen as the "model minority". This means racial mobility, interracial marriage and socio-economic incorporation doesn't mean full incorporation.

3 responses to "Once deemed undesirable, Asians are the most marriageble minority group"

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  1.   Mosiah7 says:
    Posted: 26 Apr 16

    To be honest, I've never known Asian women to ever be considered undesirable.

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    • ladybarb says:
      Posted: 27 Apr 16

      Me either, I've always thought they were more desirable to marry than any other minority group. Asian women have always been considered to be beautiful, erotic and exotic.

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  2.   EllaRoxanna says:
    Posted: 12 Feb 16

    Asian/White children are usually quite attractive.

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