Actor Constance Wu, 2018 picture at the movie premiere Crazy Rich Asiansopened up about the mental health struggle in a social media post.
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Emma McIntyre / Getty Images
Actor Constance Wu, 2018 picture at the movie premiere Crazy Rich Asiansopened up about the mental health struggle in a social media post.
Emma McIntyre / Getty Images
After being controlled for three years, Hollywood actor Constance Wu broke her silence last week, opening up about her mental health, and in doing so, acknowledging that there’s still a lot of work to be done. must do for and in the Asian American community. .
It all started back in 2019, when the ABC sitcom Wu Fresh Off the Boat announced it would be renewed for a sixth season. Wu responded to the news with disappointment, writing on Twitter: “So sad because I’m literally crying. Ugh. F***” and “F*** ing hell.”
Wu, who has also starred in movies Crazy Rich Asians and Hustlers, later clarified that her grievance was related to a missed job opportunity. Despite her explanation, social media users still condemned Wu’s comments, calling her ungrateful, selfish and a diva. Wu revealed that the backlash left her with a mental health crisis and suicidal thoughts. on Twitter last week.
“I was afraid to go back to social media because I almost lost my life because of it,” Wu wrote. “[Asian Americans] don’t talk about mental health enough. While we’re quick to celebrate our representative win, there’s a lot to avoid around the more nasty issues in our community. ”
When Asian-American women try to be ambitious, it often hits the mark
In his statement, Wu wrote, “I’m not poise, graceful or perfect. I’m an emotional person. I make mistakes.”
Asian-American experts say that while that confession may not be poignant for some, for others it speaks volumes about the pressures Asian-American women often feel.
Hieuk Chris Hahm, associate dean of research at Boston University’s School of Social Work, who has extensively researched mental health disparities in Asian-American communities.
While no two experiences are alike, Hahm points out that in spaces like the workplace, many Asian-American women are stereotyped as soft-spoken, respectful, and outgoing rather than leader. When they try to break out of that framework by speaking up for themselves, they can be opposed, Hahm added.
“When Asian American women strive to become self-sufficient, ambitious, self-fulfilling, it has historically been seen as threatening social order and social norms,” Hahm said.
Recently, Twitter users pointed out that double standard after comparing Wu’s backlash to actors like Robert Pattinson, who received a more positive reception after badmouthing his breakout movie, Sunset.
“The harshness behind the overall response to Wu’s tweets demonstrates an implicit yet widespread hostility towards Asian women,” cultist Roslyn Talusan said in a statement. 2019 Playboy article. “As such, humanity cannot afford to make Asian women angry and disobedient.”
For many people of Asian descent, their personal reputation is tied to their public reputation
In his tweet, Wu said it wasn’t just online harassment, but shaming from other Asian-American acquaintances that made them feel hurt.
According to Wu, another Asian-American actress – who she did not name – has privately condemned her, calling Wu a “villain” to their community.
“I’m starting to feel like I don’t even deserve to live anymore. That I’m ashamed of [Asian Americans]and they would be better off without me,” she wrote.
Jenn Fang, founder and editor of Not suitablean Asian-American-centered gender and race blog.
“As a public figure, especially on social media, criticism is bound to happen,” Fang said. “But for Asian-Americans, this stream of criticism is particularly personal and irritating because it shows that we don’t belong and that we should leave the Asian-American community.”
Hahm points out that it’s not just people of Asian descent — many immigrants of all backgrounds can relate to the burden that occurs when an individual’s reputation is seen as a reflection of one’s family or community reputation. surname.
“Reputation is important to many immigrants because it creates trust, and trust becomes the foundation for immigrants to rebuild their wealth, social networks, and resources,” Hahm said. .
Hollywood is just one of the big places in terms of representation
As for Fang, part of Wu’s online criticism is also related to fans’ loyalty to Fresh Off the Boatand pressure to represent Asian Americans in the media.
When the sitcom first aired, Asian-Americans had a lot of expectations, recalls Fang, mainly because it was the first time participating in the show. about two decades That network television focuses on an Asian-American family.
“There’s a sense in the community that if we can see more of ourselves in the media, we’ll feel more belonging,” Fang said. “Common among Asian Americans is the question of where we fit in, where do we belong?”
That’s why on-screen performance is so important, according to Fang, and why there’s still so much room for improvement – whether it’s removing harmful stereotypes or reflecting on it. exactly the experience of the people of South Asia and the Pacific island nations. But she also stressed that Hollywood is just one avenue where representation matters for Asian Americans.
“The problem, however, is that when we focus solely on media representation issues without addressing it along with other issues, we run the risk of forgetting that improving representation in media Communication is not the solution against Asian racism,” she said.
