Fetishized A Reckoning With Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty

Kaila Yu, tells her story as a young girl dreaming of beauty. Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s the beautiful woman depicted in media were mainly white women and when Asian women were depicted, they were depicted in overly sexual and submissive roles. Movies such as Memoirs of A Geisha, The Austin Powers films and Full Metal Jacket (among many others) come to mind. Kaila internalized that the only way someone who looked like her or had value or considered beautiful was to sexualize herself. Kaila provides her story in a series of essays, and she comes to the realization that with some of her choices becoming a pin up model and altering her body for the male gaze, that she played into the fetishization.

Part Memoir, Part Cultural Critique, An Important Message about Self Worth

Where do I begin? I was honored that Kaila messaged me on Instagram and offered to send me her memoir and of course I said yes. I learn a lot from reading this memoir. She mentioned how the media in the past sexualized Asian women. Memoirs of A Geisha came up and I’m glad she mentioned that the movie based on the book, had casted Chinese actresses to play the three main geishas Sayuri/Chio, Hutsumomo and Mameha. Rush Hour 2 as hilarious as those movies are, that movie sexualized the Asian masseuse. Kaila acknowledges that media played a harmful role in her self-image while also taking accountability for her own choices into playing into the fetishization. It is mentioned that Kaila was assaulted, it is your choice if you want to read this or not. I also like that this book also has an important message about how self worth has nothing to do with the male gaze and that’s something both Asian and Non-Asian women should remember. Thank you Kaila Yu for writing the book & thank you crown publishing for sending a copy!