Those who deny any tie between anti-Asian racism and these crimes should look no further than the 1875 Page Act. The fetishization of Asian American women has remained a fundamental aspect of racism and misogyny for over a century. The shooter used their association with white men’s fantasies and their “unrespectable” occupation to justify his claim that their lives were inferior to his. These women worked in an industry at the brunt of fetishization that has remained the punchline of “dead hooker” jokes for decades. Together, these stereotypes are used as rationale for the normalization of sexual harassment and crimes against Asian American women. These racist and misogynistic labels sexualize Asian American women as either helpless victims or perpetual threats. On the other hand, Asian women are labeled as hypersexual, which poses a perceived threat to American masculinity. On one hand, they are often presumed to be submissive, timid and docile. Simply put, the illicit massage parlor industry is built on hate crimes and prejudice against Asian women.Īsian American women are subject to stereotypes that contribute to their increased vulnerability to violence. And we know that vulnerability makes them targets.” These racist assumptions can easily lead to violence much like the shooting seen in Atlanta or various other unsolicited dangers.Īn Atlanta Democrat, Bee Nguyen, says the killings emphasize “the vulnerability, the invisibility and the isolation of working-class Asian women in our country. Many automatically assume a connection between massage parlors and sex work creating dangerous stigmas.
Historically, the massage parlor industry has been surrounded by harmful stereotypes against Asian women.
Having visited two out of three of the targeted spas prior to the murders and claiming to have received “special treatments” from these venues, the gunman was fully aware of the activities within and whom he planned on attacking. The man accused of committing this crime - killing six women of Asian descent - told authorities he had a “sexual addiction” and wanted to get rid of the temptation that the establishments represent. Eight individuals were shot and killed on Tuesday, March 16 in an Atlanta massage parlor, a space long known for its role in the front-end of many prostitution rings.