By Una Garcia

With the rise of meme culture and niche internet humor, Facebook has reclaimed its title as the go-to spot for quality content. Millennial and Gen-Z Facebook users no longer use the social media platform as an avenue for sharing personal experiences and milestones. Instead, it has become somewhat of an entertainment site, and it only takes a quick scroll through Facebook to prove this. Timelines are now filled with shared memes and witty posts, under which comment sections primarily consist of different users tagging one another. Along with this is the birth of audience-specific meme pages and groups that feature content targeting particular demographics. 

Two of the largest audience-specific groups are Subtle Asian Traits (SAT) and Subtle Asian Dating (SAD), garnering over 1.6 million and 500,000 members respectively. SAT and SAD are both private groups that feature humorous, relatable Asian content. Members can share outside posts to the group or may upload content directly and exclusively to the SAT and SAD pages. Either way, all the content that can be found in the groups have undergone prior approval from the administrators.

Subtle Asian Traits

Subtle Asian Traits is the broader one of the two. The memes and posts found here include topics and experiences that Millennial and Gen-Z Asians can relate to and laugh about. 

Asian Height

One common theme is the struggle of having Asian height. Especially for those residing in Western countries, Asians are typically regarded as vertically challenged individuals. 

ABGs

Another frequented subject are ABGs. Although there are still debates about whether or not the abbreviation is Asian Bad Gal or Asian Baby Girl, the ABG is universally regarded as a certain Asian girl personality type. ABGs are characterized by having extravagant false lashes, meticulously curated Instagram feeds, and a profound love for Boba. Think Mean Girls, but make it Asian. 

Asian Parenting 

Other than height and false lashes, SAT members also like to poke fun at their common experiences with traditional Asian parenting. This includes late nights crying at the dinner table over a math problem and the unending pressure to go to med school. 

Bilingualism & Multilingualism 

Finally, another characteristic that SAT members bond over is the matter of bilingualism and multilingualism. Speaking more than one language is common among Asians, and more so Asian-Americans. While this skill is typically associated with being highly intelligent and outstandingly cultured, the posts seen in SAT say otherwise. 

Subtle Asian Dating

Subtle Asian Dating, on the other hand, deals with romantic woes and successes of the modern Asian. Much like SAT, SAD thrives off of its relatable content. Perhaps what sets it apart from its broader counterpart is the fact that there are occasional posts that aren’t exclusively Asian in nature. Generally, though, the group’s content revolves around the unique experience of Asian dating. Whether intentional or purely coincidental, the acronym SAD perfectly encapsulates the kind of lonely, single person humor found in the group. 

Amidst all the memes and self-deprecating posts, what truly sets SAD apart is auctioning. Auctioning is a crucial aspect of SAD culture that allows members to post about their single friends in the hopes of landing them a romantic relationship. Often characterized by witty descriptions and lengthy list of pros and cons, SAD auctions have become the latest form of online dating.

While others have been auctioned as a joke, one would be surprised to know that there are, in fact, SAD success stories. 

The Deeper Relevance

While Subtle Asian Traits and Subtle Asian Dating can easily be reduced to mere sources of entertainment, the two groups can actually offer something far more substantial than just memes and a quick laugh. As seen through a number of posts, the two groups offer a sense of companionship and understanding that can only be grasped and experienced by the targeted demographic. Some members share the reality of being migrants in certain countries. Others, on the other hand, express their appreciation for the unique Asian way that they have been raised.

As the world continuously grows smaller and smaller every day, it becomes harder for people to wrap their heads around the idea of a national or cultural identity. Especially for Asian-Americans and other Asian migrants, it may be difficult to find individuals who truly understand what it’s like to grow up surrounded by cultural practices that differ from that of your ancestral land. SAT and SAD offer this form of comfort. The memes and relatable posts serve as a reminder that Asians all over the world are not alone in their quirks, struggles, and cultural backgrounds, and that these are all things that can be bonded over, no matter how subtle.