According to Oxford Reference, internalized racism is a form of self-loathing based on the acceptance of individuals of an oppressed group of all or some aspects of a negative stereotype. In other words, numerous factors such as media portrayal and negative stereotypes have constantly influenced how different minorities are viewed, and I couldn’t help but notice the growing number of individuals within my race who are very vocal about the way they view other Asians. Although internalized racism is a common occurrence amongst every minority, I will only be discussing how it affects my race based on my firsthand experience, as I don’t want to spread any misinformation about any other minority accidentally.
As someone who has spent most of her life living in predominantly white communities, I have experienced my fair share of name-calling, micro aggressions, and racist jokes. Although many of the racist individuals I’ve encountered have been non-Asian, I couldn’t help but notice that whenever an Asian person has been either racist or prejudiced against another Asian or themself, we have been quick to brush it off. I’ve seen a growing trend on social media poking fun at Asian stereotypes, while most of the time, other races don’t even realize these stereotypes exist. And no, I’m not talking about Asians being stereotypically “smart” or “nerds”, as we are portrayed in media. I’m talking about ABGs and ABBs. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me describe them for you:
ABG: Stands for “Asian Baby Girl” and is a stereotype to describe an East Asian or Southeast Asian woman who wears false lashes daily, dyes their hair into some color of balayage, drinks bubble tea, and frequently raves. Being called an ABG is the Asian equivalent of the “basic white girl”.
ABB: Derived from the ABG stereotype, it’s an acronym for “Asian Baby Boy”. This is used to describe an East Asian or Southeast Asian man who wears Supreme or Off-White clothing, listens to Keshi or wave to earth, attends raves, and plays either Valorant or League of Legends.
Unless you’re either Asian American or are surrounded by these groups of people, there’s a good chance you had no idea these stereotypes existed before reading this article. However, these terms have been interchangeably used amongst many Asian American groups, and more often than not, they are used by Asian Americans to put down others of our race for assimilating with this stereotype.
Why are these stereotypes harmful?
The first time I heard the term “ABG” being used was when I was around 13 years old, while my family was staying in Los Angeles. I remember my cousin pointing to a group of young Asian girls and telling me, “Look, ABGs are eating at In-n-Out!” At the time, I was so confused since I didn’t know what he meant by that. However, as I got older and spent more time on social media, I started to realize the types of people who portray this stereotype, the types of people who make fun of those individuals, and its implications.
Before the “ABG/ABB” stereotype, Asians have often been portrayed as the “ugly, nerdy sidekick friend” in all forms of American media. Although some people may not realize it, this negative portrayal may have affected the way we’ve inherently viewed ourselves, especially since these portrayals have been stagnant since our childhood. However, the ABG/ABB trend embraces the exact opposite of how American media portrays us. Although I have never conformed to the stereotype, I’ve never been prejudiced against the Asians that do. After all, I felt we were finally breaking free from the rigid “nerdy” stereotype in which we’ve been portrayed by both media and our peers. Still, I have seen many Asian Americans putting these individuals into a bubble and calling them “red flags” and to “stay away from them”, and every person I’ve noticed say these things are also Asian American themselves.
Even though I have never associated with ABGs or ABBs, throughout my life I have often been described as a “whitewashed Asian”, and I never fully understood why. After all, I consider myself someone who fully embraces her Filipino heritage and have made a constant effort to practice my culture and parents’ native language. However, some individuals have been quick to label me as “whitewashed” for listening to Taylor Swift and other white pop artists, having white friends, and not majoring in STEM. These comments have sometimes made me insecure about my identity, but I also realize that these people make these comments out of their own insecurity and inner conflict.
More often than not, other Asians are quick to name-call other Asians with terms such as “ABG” or “whitewashed”, and I have never understood why other Asians continue to do this without repercussions. After all, why are we so quick to stereotype others of our race with our made-up terms, when we have dealt with non-Asians stereotyping us in even worse ways for decades? We are doing exactly what they have been doing to us, and in some ways, it is even more harmful.
What is the point I am trying to make?
While stereotypes exist within every race, I feel as if many Asian Americans harbor some form of internalized racism without realizing it, and I’ve seen this internalized racism manifest itself through numerous social media posts. For example, many Asian American TikTokers have labeled Asian American men who listen to Keshi as “red flags”, since listening to Keshi falls under the “ABB stereotype”. I have never understood this sentiment because Keshi is a music artist, and listening to his music does not make a person a “red flag”. An Asian person liking Keshi’s music does not say anything about their inner character, nor does playing Valorant or wearing false lashes daily. Every minority in America has popular music artists that individuals of that race look up to, as well as hobbies and interests ingrained in our culture. However, I sometimes feel as if you are an Asian American, there’s a good chance you will be criticized by other Asians for being either “too whitewashed” for having white friends, “too basic” for liking bubble tea or listening to Keshi, and I’ve seen some be put down for “reinforcing the stereotype” by being book-smart and having an interest in STEM.
This is also true when it comes to dating; if you are an Asian woman dating a white man, other Asians will call you “racist to your race”, but if you’re an Asian woman dating another Asian, others will call you “racist to other races”. I’ve seen this pattern happen time and time again, and I hate how internalized racism has shaped Asian American stereotypes.
Now the question is: what can we do to recognize this internalized racism? Like I briefly mentioned earlier in this article, Asians have been so quick to label other Asians as “red flags” because of their taste in music or their favorite video game, and creating these stereotypes is only creating more racism within our race. While there are individuals who are both Keshi fans and are toxic to their partners, it doesn’t mean that every Asian American who listens to Keshi is a toxic person. The same goes for every factor of the ABG/ABB stereotype, as well as every harmful stereotype that exists within every minority group.
Some of you who have read this article from start to finish may disagree with my opinions, and you may even believe I’m overreacting. However, these stereotypes wouldn’t exist and wouldn’t have derogatory implications if it weren’t for internalized racism, especially since the terms were first coined by Asian Americans. While some may feel that there is no harm in stereotyping Asians and other minorities, it’s important to realize the negative connotations of these terms as well as its implications.