Biased portrayals of mail order brides and couples are largely shown in popular media, causing widespread perceptions based on false truths. These false perceptions matter due to the inherent gender biases predominantly seen in western cultures. These mainstream media outlets largely sacrifice factual truths in order to promote false realities involving significant gender biases, posing women as lesser when compared to men.
Mainstream media often ignorantly portray mail order brides as looking for a way out of poverty or as not having an active choice in the relationship. Given this mis-information, one is led to an ignorant and incorrect perception of mail order brides and couples.
The few media stations that don't intentionally paint a false reality of mail order brides and couples, often limit their information on the topic to horrific stories involving violence and abuse, in efforts to keep viewers attention with "exciting and interesting" news. That being said, these horrific stories significantly contribute to one's largely incorrect perception of mail order brides.
To highlight an example if these false depictions shown in the media: similar to the western fairy tale 'Cinderella,' Filipino(a) brides are often represented as poor, innocent young women who deserve to be rescued from hard labor and old clothes by way of marriage to a western "prince." Men that typically seek these Asian brides out are often attracted to traditional women. Therefore, the media "ironically" skew their messages to promote the idea that Asian women looking to marry western men model tradition, respectability, morality and religious piety.
Considering common American values, values that are even reinforced by the government, it becomes clear why immigrant women looking to marry United States citizens must first "pass" the ideal test of wife and mother before they can immigrate and qualify to become permanent residents. In other words, it's no secret that the mainstream media's intentionally deceiving depictions of mail order brides and couples in western cultures, is to highlight their desire for mail order brides who represent restricting historic feminine roles.
Ultimately, it should be our goal to educate a currently corrupted society for a more accurate understanding of oppression, in hopes that one day we can come together in valuing all differences.
