Music is a Choice!

The concept of Asian Americans as the “model minority” has racialized us as robots. Efficient and successful, but less than human and obedient. The complexities of Asian American cultures and histories are flattened into a one-dimensional monolith of submissive productivity. The very concept of a “model minority” serves to pit marginalized communities against each other, encouraging a sort of oppression olympics that distracts from real, radical progress. It creates division and buries long histories of mutual solidarity and cooperation.

How interesting it is that the term “American” generates images of wealthy, White, suburban families, thus needing the word “Asian” to act as a modifier. Even more interesting, even with movements such as Stop Asian Hate gaining popularity, the faces of political resistance, protest, and radical empathy are White, Black, and Hispanic, not Asian. The punk scene, specifically, seems to be so far disconnected from Asian Americans in the cultural imagination. When you think of a punk rocker, it is likely a White or Black individual with liberty spikes and a studded leather jacket, shredding on the guitar or screaming into a mic. 

As an Asian American who is into the punk and emo scene, I have often heard stuff like “oh, you’re not like other Asians I know,” or “what do your parents say, because I know Asian parents are usually really strict and traditional.” Even living in the Bay Area, I have met people who seem shocked by the leftist nature of both my and my parents’ politics. For many, enjoying punk rock is already considered alternative culture, and it seems that my race has made me even rarer, at least in others’ eyes. However, I have never understood this surprise because, at least within academia, I have met many Asian Americans that I would consider to be truly embodying the concept of “punk.”

Perhaps it is because of the narrow and aestheticized understanding of punk culture within the greater cultural landscape in America. Indeed, there is fairly well-defined aesthetics and music, but these act as signals, rather than the definition. The true core of punk, as I see it, is participating in rebellious, anti-consumer, anti-capitalist, and anti-authority activities. It is not just about being angry at “the establishment” or dressing in leather and listening to hard rock, it is about being a radical humanist and daring to have hope and fight for a better future. Under this definition of punk, I think that it is clear that punk culture is alive and well within Asian American communities across the United States. This is not to say that many Asians are punk, but do not fit the aesthetics ascribed to punk. There are, in fact, a good number of them, not just in the United States, but across the world. However, surprise at my tastes is nothing to lose sleep over, but surprise at my politics or my parents’ politics due to our race is something that has long bothered me. It speaks to an expectation of Asians as obedient “model minorities” that exist happily within racial hegemony rather than individuals and communities with free will and an ability for social awareness. I believe that it should be made clear that yes, Asian Americans can be punk rock, too.