From the Margins to the Center: Debunking Claims about Southeast Asian American Masculinity

Abstract

This study reviews empirical data from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey (ACS) and academic journals to explore K-12 and higher educational outcomes pertaining to Southeast Asian American (SEAA) males. We argue that the empirical dismissal of SEAA males in social science research reinforces a longstanding agenda of structural neglect and invisibility. By disaggregating some of the existing data for Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese subgroups from the broader “Asian” group, we hope to repudiate the model minority myth and stereotypes related to masculinity. Findings revealed that SEAA males had K-12 and higher educational outcomes that contradict the standard conception of academic and financial success. We situate the findings of the article in a discussion of intersectionality and the mainstream cultural forces that impact SEAA males.

Notes

1 These figures are based on one-year estimates of Asian population and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders population by detailed group, from the U.S. Census (2010), American Community Survey.

2 By “Southeast Asians,” we refer to Burmese, Cambodian, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Laotian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai and Vietnamese.

3 Mentoring is a centerpiece of the My Brother’s Keepers (MBK) initiative (for more information, see http://www.serve.gov/mentor), and is in addition to the MBK Community Challenge, which is a call to action for Tribal Nations, cities, towns, and counties to build and execute robust plans to support young men and boys of color (for more information, see http://www.mbkchallenge.org).

4 Black male initiatives at the city level include New York City’s the Young Men’s Initiative and the City University of New York (CUNY) Black Male Initiative, Oakland’s Unified School District's African American Male Achievement, the 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans, and the 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Peter T. Keo

Peter T. Keo, Ed.D., conducts research and evaluates the effectiveness of federal and state K-12 programs to support chronically low-performing districts and schools. He also conducts research on boys and men of color and the impact of Asian American stereotyping on research and public policy outcomes. Keo was Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and received a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Pedro A. Noguera

Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D., has published over 200 research articles, monographs, and research reports on topics such as urban school reform, conditions that promote student achievement, the role of education in community development, youth violence, and race and ethnic relations in American society. His most recent books are Excellence Through Equity (Corwin, 2015) with Alan Blankstein and Race, Equity and Education: The Pursuit of Equality in Education 60 Years After Brown (ASCD, 2015) with Jill Pierce and Roey Ahram.