From exotifying Asian eyes to the Kama Sutra, romance novels have leaned on Orientalism for too long, these novelists say.
Romance novels have recently been applauded as a sort of revolutionary reading experience. Often focusing on women's pleasure and their rich inner lives, it’s one of the only genres written by and for women. But feminist praise for romance novels overlooks the fact that these descriptions aren’t always a boost for all women. Specifically, when it comes to Asians, the industry has for too long now held fast to the damaging trope of the submissive Asian woman, novelists point out.
There are a number of authors of Asian descent speaking out on the issue and countering it with their own work, including Farah Heron, who released her debut novel “The Chai Factor” earlier this year and is the president of the Toronto chapter of the Romance Writers of America. The discussion over how Asian women are depicted on the pages of romance novels comes on the heels of the organization being mired in a controversyfor much of the last week. For many authors, the dispute — which has rocked the 9,000-member group and resulted in the resignations of several board members — has also opened up a long overdue conversation about how Asian women are portrayed in the genre.
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