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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Anna May Wong: Original Dragon Lady

Chinese-American actress, Anna May Wong, is known for being the first Dragon Lady to be displayed in the Media in the 1900s. Wong made her first breakthrough in 1919, during the time Asians were considered outsiders even if they were born in America. In every film the Wong was in, she was either displayed as the stereotyped "Dragon Lady" or "Butterfly". Regardless of being an Asian foreigner or an American born Asian, people still to this day still stereotype Asian American women as being a "Dragon Lady" in the media. In Wong's case, for being the first ever Chinese-American to breakthrough into the media as being a Dragon Lady, in later films she was still displayed as the same role she broke through in. In my opinion, that has it's good and bad factors for it. It's good because it show cases Asian Americans as strong and sexy but it's also bad because it gives Asian Women the look of only being good to pleasure an individual and be conniving at the same time. Wong showed that many Asian Americans can earn leading roles in today's media. At age 56, Wong died while having a heart attack in her sleep. She was always be known and respected for being the first Asian American to become the original Dragon Lady and to be one of the first to have a breakthrough in the American media.
Work Cited:

Crowther, Linnea. Anna May Wong: Dragon Ladies and Butterflies. February 3, 2012

1 comment:

  1. I like how you interpreted and tried to focus more in depth of the history of "Dragon Lady." It is definitely true that those characters, model minority, dragon lady, butterfly, old man, Fu Man Chu, and excellency in martial art is getting old. I also feel like if they are going to keep those stereotypes then, at least have some new stereotypes that will change some of people's perspective.

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