The preference for these strict binaries is especially seen in the gay community. Femininity for men in general has always been looked down upon due to the preference of masculinity in Western culture and the strict gatekeeping of gender norms in the binary.
With Asian men playing the “less than” of white men, they become associated as the counterpart of white male masculinity: femininity. The Asian characters I would see in the media were always sidekicks to white men or the comedic relief quick with a punchline ready. I never grew up with (m)any Asian male leads to look up to that validated my brown skin as something sexually sought after. Historically, Asian men have been feminized, desexualized, and accessorized in society, especially through our media depictions. Could you blame me? I am an Asian-American gay male, who leans more towards to the feminine side of the gender expression spectrum in a male dominated, colonial, white, and Western society. Growing up I always believed my identities were at fault. That’s a question I’ve always asked myself since I was young and the answer stared at me every morning in the mirror. When the love you give out is never reciprocated you start to question why it never does. Valentine’s Day season can be rough when you’re single.
