Like almost any other college student, superhero movies hold a special place in my heart. It is undeniably cool to see Iron Man blast alien enemies or Wonder Woman take down hoards of soldiers. Nevertheless, the one thing I dislike about superhero movies, the thing I despise, is the lack of Asian characters in a majority of superhero movies — or any movie in general.
Asians are the most disregarded demographic in regards to American media. And when it comes to heroes, the only one I can think of is Mulan. This is unsurprising, seeing how only 1% of lead roles in major films go to Asian actors. Representation empowers. Without it, stories go untold and entire groups are dismissed.
Fortunately, my prayer for Asian representation in the media was somewhat answered this past February during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. In Pyeongchang this year, an unprecedented amount of Asian-Americans competed on U.S. Olympic teams. These 14 athletes competed in events such as snowboarding, ice skating, speed skating, and bobsledding. Although it has been nearly a month since the games, this is an achievement that deserves to be reemphasized.
These 14 individuals changed the status quo and put Asian-Americans in the spotlight. My image of humans accomplishing superhuman feats shifted from Robert Downey Jr. in a metal suit to these passionate young athletes. To hear about Chloe Kim winning gold at only 17 or watch Nathan Chen shatter records by completing six quad jumps within a single routine was inspiring. It was incredible to see Mirai Nigasu execute a triple axel and to see the glowing faces of Maia and Alex Shibutani as they accepted their bronze medals. After being an unseen demographic for so long, these athletes broke through the barriers of Western media and showed me what I am capable of as an Asian-American.
In addition, their stories redefined what it means to be American. While the country's attitude after the last election has been increasingly nationalistic, the Olympians reaffirmed that talent from the U.S. is of all ethnicities and races. The 2018 Winter Olympics showcased a recognition of Asian-American excellence in the face of negative stereotypes. More importantly, however, the success of these 14 athletes demonstrated the ability to overcome challenges in today's political climate and progress towards a bright future.
Perhaps to some, Asian-American athletes are just like any other athletes, and their participation in the Olympics is nothing special. But to me, a Chinese-American girl who grew up without seeing people like her in books, TV shows, or movies, this occasion was truly monumental. So thank you Chloe, J.R., Hailey, Karen, Nathan, Madison, Marai, Maia, Alex, Vincent, Thomas, Jerica, Aaron, and Chris for daring to chase your dreams and showing me what real-life superheroes truly are.
