I recently watched an old movie releasing in November 10, 1960, “The World of Suzie Wong”, and have this contradict feeling about it. The feeling of a wanted romantic love, even though there are so many controversial between the two race, Asian and White. In fact, in reality, the numbers of Asian women I have known in my whole life also have this same perspective of the superior White man whom they wish to have a chance to be with.
The movie makes me remember the time when I was in university in Vietnam. I grew up in a small town until I went to the capital city to attend college. It was a big city with lot of foreigners. Everywhere I go, I saw people having that same respected attitude toward foreigners, especially White men. I didn’t pay attention till I have few friends who had a White husband or boyfriends, and some others who wish to know a White man. Able to talk to them making me realize why to these women, White men were so superior.
At the beginning of the movie, Suzie Wong met Robert Lomax on a ferry . She noticed him, but pretended to be arrogant and ignored him. She also call guards to make troubles. All she did was trying to capture his attention. And when she talked, she lied that she was a daughter of a rich bussinessman, and more importance, she was a virgin. What was the reason that Suzie claimed she was a virgin even though she was a prostitute? Perhaps, she assumed that to a White man, being a virgin will impress him since most Asian men demanded for a virgin girl. It also implied that she wanted to have him. Same as Suzie, some women I knew in Vietnam during my early twenty, most of them approached the White men first. Usually, the White men in new countries werent familiars with the place yet. So they may be appoached as being avaiable to show around. Of course, as the conversation developed, they usually end up knowing each other contact. A lot of these women also lied about the background and being virgin. It makes them feel better about themselves, and also expected to leave a good impression to the White target. Lying that they were born in rich family means that they could be independent and do not need to rely on the man, so he can easily accept her; while they lied about being virgin was totally up to her assumption. Mostly, these women thought the men of their race cant support her demands, or many of them didn’t think they have chance with Asian men since they lost their virgin. Hence, lying about being virgin was to hope that White men would cherrish her as she was a good virgin girl. This whole perception of being virgin merely just served a purpose of exhibit a good and oriental characteristic as they expect the White men would feel the same.
H was a girl in one of my college class, and she had a White boy friend. She said her boy friend had money and was a gentlement since he treated her very nicely. I asked her what was the difference between the White man and Asian men. She told me that he respected her opinions while Asian men were often more controlling. She also liked it since he had better finance, able to buy her good clothes and took her to fancy restaurants. She also admitted that she liked the feelings of people around look at her with a bit of envious and respect when she was with a White men. It was also seen in the movie when Suzie showed off to her female friends.
My cousin’s husband's sister also married a White men. All I can hear when the family gather are about how happy she was with him. He took care of the babies. He cooked, and he did laundry. He bought her few big houses, or their children are so beautiful mixed. Would it be the reason why Asian women prefer White male? Maybe yes. I look at a Vietnamese girl and a White husband couple at my rental place. She was happily eating at a restaurant next door, while her White husband took care of their baby. Vietnamese men are hardly seen with their babies or doing chores at home. Is it that big of advantage to the White men which makes them so superior ?
I can name so many more examples of women like this. Because they are all around me. They chased me even though I moved to United States where there are majority of White men. But going against their family and race, accept a new culture and move to a new country with a Whitemen, these Asian women all look for an open minded men, better finance, caring husband and love. The White men werent superior because they are White. But perhaps, because they know how to make a woman happy by sharing life with her.
Giving the movie of Suzie Wong a different view, both character Suzie and Robert, at the end totally fall for each other despite the race, society racism, White dominance and the availability of Asian women to White male. Robert became so superior when he proposed her in the temple. In the contrast with most Asian men who dare not to marry a prostitute. Would it happen one day when Asian men could be also superior to Asian women?
By Thanh Hai Do