Created as a Facebook group in September 2018, “Subtle Asian Traits” has over one million members and is filled with memes about being a second-generation Asian in a variety of countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The shared experience of having immigrant parents is the uniting factor for many in the group, with memes about needing pinyin, romanized mandarin words, as opposed to characters. Similar memes play on the shame and guilt felt from the inability to speak Chinese fluently. Various food-related memes are also prevalent, with tag yourself memes with different kinds of dim sum dishes, boba flavors, or Asian spices. Memes about parents filling any free time with piano, Kumon, and SAT test prep are scattered about. And finally, jokes about struggling with Asian glow and lactose intolerance are everywhere.
Dark humor has also been used in the group to highlight the pressures and struggles faced by second-generation teens. Talking about the large sacrifices made by immigrant parents, memes light-heartedly speak about the need to be a successful doctor or lawyer. Other jokes point to parental abuse and the stigma around therapy and mental health.
Following the lead of “Subtle Asian Traits,” similar groups have been created on Facebook such as “Subtle Asian Dating,” where people would post photos and bios in hopes of finding a significant other. “Subtle White People Traits” is also among other groups that have sprung up, with memes about stereotypical white dad sayings and jokes.
Creating a community for those with Asian immigrant parents, “Subtle Asian Traits” has also acted as a platform to perpetuate stereotypes, dismiss those who are not East Asian, and has also included racial slurs and remarks about Caucasians and African Americans. While moderators work to delete more blatantly racist posts, the community is largely made up of East Asians and largely avoids uncomfortable discussions about privilege, race, and class.
