Lotus Blossom

Background

  • 1850s: Chinese prostitutes are brought to California during the Gold Rush to serve both Asian and White men
  • 1875: Page Law is written; Chinese women are limited entry into the US and classified as prostitutes
  • 1940s: Soldiers in WWII are allowed to bring back Asian "war brides" who are depicted as docile homemakers and submissive wives

Lotus Blossom Stereotype

The Lotus Blossom stereotype was invented in the western world during WWII when Asian women were brought back by soldiers as trophy wives. It portrays Asian American women as sexually compliant and submissive.

She’s fun you see, and so uncomplicated. She doesn’t go to assertiveness-training classes, insist on being treated like a person, fret about career moves, wield her orgasm as a non-negotiable demand…. 

— Tony Rivers, “Oriental Girls”, Gentleman’s Quarterly (1990)

Reflect

Think: Where have you seen the Lotus Blossom stereotype? What might be the negative implications of this stereotype?

Examples in the Media

Madame Butterfly

Madame Butterfly: Butterfly kills herself

After years of Butterfly waiting for his return, Pinkerton comes back with his American wife and Butterfly kills herself.

Miss Saigon

Heaven's Lost Property

In the anime Heaven's Lost Property, popular among Asians and Americans alike, the character "Ikaros" reinforces the Lotus Blossom stereotype. She is a fallen angel whose male counterpart in the show is her "master" without whom she is helpless. In fact, she is physically chained to him. She is rewarded for righteous behavior and for serving her master.

Upon meeting, Ikaros tells her master Tomoki that "her purpose is to fulfill [his] every want and desire"

Effects and Implications

The reinforcements of the Lotus Blossom stereotype affect daily lives of Asian American women today. Asian American women are subsequently viewed as "easy" and submissive; this may make them targets of abuse and harassment. The stereotype belittles their independence as well as their ownership of their identity and sexuality. It portrays them as dependent on their partners rather than autonomous and strong women.


Works Cited

  1. Chalk, Alan G. “Alan G. Chalk Guides to Japanese Films.” AEMS: Asian Educational Media Service, 2000,  www.aems.illinois.edu/publications/lessonplans/chalk/chalk_19.html .
  2. colins7, Author. “The California Gold Rush: A Sexual Nightmare for Minority Women.” Comprehending the History of Sexuality, 5 Mar. 2015, blogs.lt.vt.edu/sexualityinamericanhistorystamper/2015/03/05/the-california-gold-rush-a-sexual-nightmare-for-minority-women/.
  3. Jiravisitcul, Amy. “Sutori.” Sutori, 2019,  www.sutori.com/story/asian-american-feminism-timeline--V5fTYsrajSTngcLm2jJR557B 
  4. Jones, Norma, director. Asian and Asian American Women's Media Stereotypes. YouTube, YouTube, 31 Mar. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW14mzRS23M&t=2s.
  5. Park, Alison Roh. “Meet Miss Saigon, Not the Box Office Kind.” Race Files, 29 June 2015, www.racefiles.com/2013/09/12/meet-miss-saigon-not-the-box-office-kind/.
  6. thisasianwomansays. “Are the Stereotypes of Lotus Blossoms and Geisha's as Subservient and Exotic False?” Medium, Medium, 7 June 2016, medium.com/@thisasianwomansays/are-the-stereotypes-of-lotus-blossoms-and-geishas-as-subservient-and-exotic-false-3551efc0266a.
  7. Teeman, Tim. “Sexism, Race and the Mess of 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 24 Mar. 2017,  www.thedailybeast.com/sexism-race-and-the-mess-of-miss-saigon-on-broadway 
  8. Zhou, Y., & Paul, B. (2016). Lotus blossom or dragon lady: A content analysis of "asian women" online pornography. Sexuality & Culture, 20(4), 1083-1100. doi: http://ezproxy.fhda.edu:2096/10.1007/s12119-016-9375-9