Another Example of Yellow Privilege?

Aug 12, 2023

News provided by

23 May, 2023, 08:43 ET

Share this article

New book by Dr. Michael Soon Lee explores advantages Asians are given over other minorities

SAN FRANCISCO, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In his upcoming book, "Beyond the Bamboo Curtain" Michael Lee explains why Asians in the U.S. enjoy more privileges than other minorities.

For example, Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill requiring Florida to join other states that require Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history to be taught as part of school curricula. At the same, Florida and 23 other states have banned the teaching of Black history. In fact, in early 2023, DeSantis rejected a new AP African American history class, claiming it "lacks educational value."

So why is AAPI history now being promoted while Black history is being banned? Dr. Lee explains how Asians in America have been granted something called "Yellow Privilege" which is almost as good as "White Privilege", but not quite.

Lee says that when many Chinese started arriving in America in the late 1840s, they were described as "heathen Chinaman" and by 1853, a California newspaper said about the Chinese, "They are not of our people and never will be..." In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act became the first significant law restricting immigration into the United States.

Yet, by the 1960s, the media was calling Asians in the U.S. the "Model Minority" who were quiet and hard-working and whom other minorities should emulate rather than protesting for civil rights in the streets. At the time, Asians were less than one percent of the American population, so it was easy to give them a public relations makeover. As a result, between 1940 and 1970, Asians went from segregated neighborhoods and schools to surpassing African Americans in average household earnings and closed the wage gap with Whites. This transformation has been so complete that today, many believe that discrimination no longer exists against Asian Americans.

In Michael's book, he explains many of the facts surrounding Yellow Privilege including:

Take a quiz to see how much you know about Asian Americans at: www.BeyondTheBambooCurtain.com

About Michael Soon Lee

Dr. Lee is a professional speaker on diversity, equity, and inclusion and the author of nine books including "Cross-Cultural Selling for Dummies" and "Black Belt Negotiating". He has spoken over 1,000 times around the world to companies like Coca-Cola, Chevron, Boeing, and General Motors. His career includes being a motion picture producer and actor, dean of a university business school, chairman of the board of a credit union, award-winning real estate broker, and more. Email: [email protected] Phone: (925) 864-8848 Website: www.BeyondTheBambooCurtain.com.

SOURCE Dr. Michael Soon Lee