Oxford, I completely agree, and it’s very thoughtful of you to highlight that stance. There’s a clear distinction between dragging an artist and critically assessing their art from a sociological perspective. I didn’t get the sense that your piece did the former at all.
Whatever issues Han or her narrative has, are issues we all have struggled with. Representation can mean an accurate portrayal of our faults, and critique of those faults can be a means for us all to reflect on our own flawed beliefs and actions.
That said, I feel the problem is less to do with Han or other creators, and more with the studios, executives, presses, editors, marketers, etc. that preferentially produce and promote problematic narratives. This is exemplified by the fact that the most egregious anti-Asian elements were tacked on during movie production.
What upsets me the most is that even in this well-intentioned, best-case scenario, this society can’t create anything to benefit Asian America without benefiting white men more.
Bashing people for their internalized self-loathing leads nowhere if we’re not also combating the racism that created it in the first place. Calling out the problems with this and other works is a signal to those in charge that Asian America demands greater respect in how we are portrayed, and this time, we are not going to settle.
