One of the biggest stereotypes about Asian women (aside from the notion that we are meek, timid creatures who are sexual slaves in the bedroom) is that we never seem to age, or age at a much slower rate than the rest of the population. And wouldn’t you know it — here is a funny cartoon to show just that:
(image source)
While I’m not so sure about other Asian women, I can attest that now, at the age of 30, I am starting to notice signs of aging. I am very lucky that I have not yet developed wrinkles; however, I am beginning to get plagued by dry patches of skin and age spots. My metabolism is nowhere near where it was when I was in my late teens and early twenties (and I thought I was FAT back then…what I wouldn’t give to have the body I had ten years ago!), I get tired much more easily, and the 30+ years of bad posture is catching up to me in the way of nightly backaches.
That being said, I must admit that I am often mistaken for being younger — people are always surprised when I tell them my actual age, and I guess I have my (Asian?) genes to thank for that, because God knows I’ve treated by body like crap.
I dug up this old photo from 2001 (friend’s face marked out in respect for her privacy):
It is undeniable that I look younger (and I can’t help noticing how much thinner I was back then…sigh), but I’m not sure that I look an entire decade younger than I do now.
What do you think? Do you agree with the stereotype that Asian women never seem to age (or at least until they hit menopause, as depicted in the cartoon above)?
37 Responses to “The Aging Process of Asian Women”
Hahaha! I was just talking about this with a couple of bloggers at a meet-up last week. They all thought I was about 10 years younger than I actually was. It’s true… You look exactly the same til you hit like a magic number. Suddenly, wrinkles appear, a hunchback, you shrink 3 inches, need super thick glasses and your hair turns white.
I think it’s just that you can’t tell the age of Asian women because the markers of age (heavy wrinkles, spots on the skin) tend to not be there.
LOL…. And Asian Pear really looks 10 years younger
Sorry… I forgot to mention… The pic is hilarious. I love the aged 120 look. cause that’s so true. XD
Precisely my experience with all my female relatives.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by eccentric yoruba, RevancheGS. RevancheGS said: SO TRUE RT @TheAsianPear: Check out @geekinheels' post about the Aging Process of Asian Women. http://bit.ly/hnkQKz [...]
I don’t know about the whole skinnier than ten years ago thing — I know that my face looks totally different than it did even 4 years ago, but I feel like it’s more just growing into than it is weight… It’s hard to say if it’s all weight or the body just redistributing.
How funny! But there is some truth in it. I was just carded the other night when ordering a glass of wine. & I’m nearly twice the required age limit now. Geez!
Sadly, I have a few lines in my forehead already…and I’m only 22. I think maybe I spent too much time scowling and frowning in my teens.
That cartoon cracks me up, not the least b/c she totes looks like my grandma. I used to be irritated that I looked so young, but I’m going to be sad when I stop being carded.
heehee that cartoon is too funny. i’m 34, and many people think i’m in my young 20′s upon meeting me. i have some wrinkles, though, so i do think i’m aging gradually–no sudden onset post-menopause aging for me!
That cartoon strip is right on!!! I swear my 50+ mom aged drastically after menopause!
This is one of the “It’s sad because it’s true” things which I’m ashamed to say I take advantage of. In fact, my current boyfriend thought I was only 28 when we met, which is four less years than I actually am.
I think Asian woman are really bitchy and fake. They’re very ugly too I’ve never seen a cute Asian you all look the same plus they always put themselves first thank god I’m gorgeous and not Asian.
Congrats — I think you may be the next Alexandra Wallace!
Trololololo
“…really bitchy and fake.”
If you’re talking about yourself, then yes. Otherwise, you have no authority to make such crass generalizations. Asians have as wide a range of personalities as any other race.
Esmerald, you say: “I think Asian woman are really bitchy and fake. They’re very ugly too I’ve never seen a cute Asian you all look the same plus they always put themselves first thank god I’m gorgeous and not Asian.”
Better take a look at yourself in the morning light, Esmerald, and re-evaluate your level of ‘gorgeousness’ and just who is the ‘bitchy-and-fake’ woman in this commentary.
That you are up-front in stating that ‘you all look the same’ merely demonstrates that your racism makes anything you have to say quite irrelevant.
For the record: I am a White Guy. My daughter, both granddaughters and great-granddaughter are obviously Asian: Cambodia/Vietnam/P.I.
All are attractive women; intelligent; well-educated; skilled in their job requirements; and well-versed in the Performing Arts over and above their on-the-job requirements.
My six-year-old great-granddaughter is in kindergarten, but has been promoted to First Grade in Spelling and Language Arts, excelling in Public Speaking (once I spoke to her about sharing her time with her classmates).
After a tour in Iraq, in which he won a Bronze Star, her father is now deployed to Afghanistan.
She is working as hard as a six-year-old can to impress her father with all she is accomplishing while he is absent from (yet part of) her family.
Look more closely at this family, Esmerald!
These are Asian-American families making sacrifices for our country!
@esmerald stop sulking about your bf who left you for an asian. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha *villain asian evil bitch laugh*
WRONG!
Fact: Asian people age normally. Everyone else ages HORRIBLY.
Caucasians age the worst of all races…the Afro American is the one race that age quite gracefully…our skin does not wrinkle for a long long time…you normally can not guess our age…
Excuse me, Ms. Hwang,
I agree with you about Asian women aging. Or appearing to not age. I have never been carded — started losing it young and growing stubble — if I am with an Asian woman, who might range in age from 20 to 35, will always be carded — except in Mexico. I’m in my early 30′s and look 45, my girlfriend will look 17 until I actually AM 45! This might be a desirable thing to some, but if we’re traveling internationally, I worry they might think I’m smuggling a minor into the U.S.! But on to something about which we disagree….
I have read several times in articles about Asian women, but have only once found it to be true, that a stereotype exists that Asian women “are meek, timid creatures who are sexual slaves in the bedroom.” In fact, that only time someone asked me if I liked my Asian ex-girlfriends because they were “submissive,” have never conversed with an Asian woman other than to say,”May I borrow a pen?” (I won’t repeat what my college roommate asked me, but both serve as exceptions to a general rule — in hundreds, if not over a thousand interactions, only two have ever assumed those bullshit stereotypes.) In fact, I think there is a stereotype that is actually threatening to sway public opinion the complete opposite direction — the domineering, shallow, fussy stereotype is much more predominate than the submissive-geisha-war-bride stereotype.
Really, who in the last ten years — or twenty? — has treated you like you’re just a “delicate little china doll?” Can we have a number? A range? More than 3? More than a half-dozen? But if you look back, I would bet you find a lot more jackasses treating you like you’re a pressure cooker ready to blow or a crocodile ready to snap. Thanks to Lucy Liu’s oh-so-empowering (that is sarcasm) portrayal of Ling on Ally McBeal, more idiots are walking around on egg shells hoping not to get burned by the Dragon Lady.
Not that you have to agree, because I’m sure each person’s experience is different; I am just pointing out that even in the deep south — I’m in Texas — such a stereotype of a frail, weak, submissive Asian woman is almost totally evaporated, certainly not “biggest.”
Well I’m happy for you that you haven’t come across this stereotype, but I have all my life and so have my Asian girlfriends. Maybe the NYC area isn’t as progressive as it likes to think? And never have I been treated as a “pressure cooker.” But like you said, everyone’s experiences are different.
I just searched your cartoon for a discussion about “asian aging” and since I am here, I want to share an example you might like: http://chrocodiles.blogspot.com/2011/01/april-xia-da-beautiful-chinese-manga.html
Xia Da is a gifted cartoonist (or mangaka) – one example of her work: http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=40489
To see her pictures with the knowledge that she turned 30 this April is mind-boggling…
I would still totally enslave you
I think it is more complex, Asian men seem to be able to determine the age of Asian women. The indicators are just different is all. It is similar to everyone from country X looks the same syndrome. Once you start meeting people from country X and mixing with them you learn how to adapt what you use to determine people apart.
Asian guys I know get age checked in the UK also (I have know one or two guys get quite frustrated and upset), way past the ages of most westerners over here. Also many Asians I have talked with tend to feel that Western teenagers and adults in their early twenties appear older than they are (more mature physically). Asians without experience also seem very poor at guessing ages of Westerners who are middle aged (wild over or under-estimates, probably based on applying the standards they are used to using).
Stereotypes are useful because they are usually based on an element of truth (or a least truth from a certain perspective), and basically your brain has so much to do it is essential to make snap decisions based on generalities.
What we have to do though is treat individuals as individuals when we get to that level.
You also look good, which is something that won’t just go away as you get older. You’ll look good as a 50 year old. You should take a minute and enjoy that fact. A lot of people are not so blessed unfortunately.
Being Asian does help. I met my late wife in South Vietnam a long, long time ago. She stayed young and vibrant up until her death a couple of years ago. My children are half-Asian, and they look much, much younger than I did when I met their mother for sure, even though I was just a 20 year old boy at the time! My son hated looking younger for a while, but he’s in his mid-thirties and is doing quite well romantically I’m told.
I just wanted to add my 2 cents here. At the risk of sounding racist… Asian women are the most exquisite creatures God has ever created. I hate to generalize, BUT, Do Asian women age better? Hell yes! One reason, I believe, is that ethnic minorities have thicker skin. Ever hear the saying “Black don’t crack.”? Well, that one is pretty much true too. My wife (who is 100% Japanese) is now in her early forties and the same age as my sister (northern european and latino, like me). My sister, who is very pretty (a cross between Daisy Fuentes and Sarah Palin), began to prune-up in her mid-thirties, and by now has about as many wrinkles as a baby elephant. My wife, on the other hand, has absolutely no sign of wrinkles, no gray hairs, and only a moderate about of body fat. She has a Japanese friend that is almost 50, but looks like she is in here early 30′s. I also have a very blonde co-worker that just turned 30. And although she has a great personality (not really), she looks like a haggard old bitch with dark circles under her eyes, and a fat ass. That’s why so many white women are hating on Asian women.
Wow, you seem to really base everything on appearances. I don’t know any white women who are “hating on Asian women.” Sure, those with light skin who hang out in the sun too much will certainly age faster than those with an olive or darker complextion–but for the most part, how you look when you’re older is based on how you live now. If you gain weight, lose weight, gain weight, etc. you’ll probably age fast…or smoke…or tan…or deal with lots of stress…don’t drink enough water or not enough good foods ,etc. I can tell when Asian women are older. Not necessarily because of wrinkles, but because a give-away on age is sagging skin. And that happens to everyone.
I’m scared lol I hope this doesn’t happen to me. My mom looks NOTHING like this though. She’s 56, thin, takes care of her looks, and doesn’t wear thick glasses.
Hang in there, guys. I’m 48 and people still think I’m in my 20′s – okay, late 20′s. It makes me feel bad and uncomfortable when I don’t get the respect I sometimes think I’m due or I shock some girl who finds out I’m more than twice her age. But, as I get older, I think that it’s better too age more slowly than too quickly. The hardest thing was seeing my wife get old before her time. It’s also hard to see the apparent age gap open up between friends and relatives as they age and I don’t. I chalk it up to genetics.
My girlfriend is filipina and when I met her she told me that she was 28. And I thought she looked even younger than that. Well I’m 25 and I found out after we were together for almost 2 months that she was actually 34. Now she’s 35, I’m still 25, and we’re still together.
It doesn’t really bother me that she’s 10 years old than me because she’s so damn cute.
Patrick, I’m Filipino/Spanish, and fifty-one (51) years old. I have a seventeen (17) year old son, and when he does my hair and his boss introduces me as my son’s mom, other women find it hard to believe, saying, “She looks like a kid herself. She must have had him when she was twelve.” That’s my photo (I’m hoping the gravatar works and yes, and I’m 50 there! No procedures whatsoever and I’m still an hourglass at 34-24-35) so this is what you have to look forward to with your Filipina lady as she grows older. Don’t lose her!^^
Are you really 50? DANG I’m vietnamese, so im no stranger to the asian people look young stereotype but DAMN! you age the most gracefully out of anybody I’ve ever seen out of any race.
I noticed that most Asian women do not age like most caucasians. It seems to be a slower process. I find most women (Asian) as well to be wonderful people.
I love being asian. (cambodian/thai) I still get carded even though i’m 37 yrs old. It annoys me sometimes, but Im not complaining.
I have 5 kids, my oldest daughter is 17. People think we r sisters. Which is nice! Im friendly n outgoing. I get mistaken for being in my 20′s. Plenty have mistaken me for hispanic. But I will gladly let them kno I am not.
After reading what Esmerald had to say I had to comment. She is ignorant n full of hatred. No one should call another person “ugly” Beauty comes from within, n personality captures the heart. But its clear to see , she doesnt have either one.
I’m a 43 year old Chinese, and every time I go with a white friend (same age) to a cosmetic counter, she will be offered wrinkle protection cream while the salesgirl just gives me a moisturizer with a look that says “you don’t need that stuff yet”! One great thing about looking younger (strangers assume I’m in my early 30s) is that I don’t need Botox and the army of age defying lotions older Caucasians spend tons of money on. I can also wear clothes meant for younger women without looking silly.
I’m 36 but people still think I’m in my mid-20s! I guess we Asians are ageless beauties . . . not unlike vampires!