# The male obsession with foreign girls **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054 "2003-06-15T17:51:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/21 "2003-06-16T03:26:38Z")
In my own experience, I’ve found that these differences work well for initial attractions, but can’t support a relationship. Or maybe I’m just bitter because this girl I liked a while back essentially dumped me so she could go out with someone from the same country as she was. But don’t let my bad experiences color the perceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/22 "2003-06-16T03:41:42Z")
Majorly guilty male here, and I have no idea why. Although looking at my father’s side of the family, a case could be made for the existence of a xenophilia gene. ---
**Author:** ![\_ceQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9bd4f/32.png) [@\_ceQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_ceQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/23 "2003-06-16T04:02:53Z")
Because they are more likely not to know the language and just _shut up_. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/24 "2003-06-16T05:26:45Z")
Wishful thinking, **!ceQueen** , wishful thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/25 "2003-06-16T05:38:50Z")
Vixenation, travel to foreign counties and take advantage of this tendency yourself. I dated Peter in Amsterdam, Wolfgang in Vienna, and John in Denmark. Scandanavians treated me like I was royalty! ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/26 "2003-06-16T07:27:18Z")
I never could understand the big taste for Asian women on the West Coast when I lived there. I had a white roommate who specifically preferred Asians. Someone told me later that when a white guy says he likes Asian women, it’s a universal signal that he’s looking for someone docile. Myself, I’m not a big fan of docility. Ever since going to Mexico though I’ve had a real taste for that kind of woman. Jet-black hair is very sexy! I remember seeing something on TV once too that said bi-racial people are more often perceived as “attractive,” since they have features that are more “universal,” whatever that means. Therefore, this provides incentive for the races to intermingle, even if there are cultural taboos against doing so. Such a union may be socially undesireable in the short term, but it’s offspring will nonetheless have a long-term reproductive advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/27 "2003-06-16T07:34:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Someone told me later that when a white guy says he likes Asian women, it’s a universal signal that he’s looking for someone docile. I’m not sure that fits the general perception of Asian women in this country, if there is such a thing. Lucy Liu, for example, does NOT project docility. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/28 "2003-06-16T07:53:09Z")
There are two basic stereotypes of Asian women- docile or sadistic. Lucy Liu is the latter. Asian girls are nothing “exotic” to me at all, but I prefer them on the surface. To be totally honest… it’s largely because they are just nowhere near as likely to be overweight. Anyway, I actually have more in common with them these days than most of my own. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/29 "2003-06-16T12:25:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lizard \* > \*\*I never could understand the big taste for Asian women on the West Coast when I lived there. I had a white roommate who specifically preferred Asians. Someone told me later that when a white guy says he likes Asian women, it’s a universal signal that he’s looking for someone docile. \*\* I gotta call bullshit on that! Some men may have this perception. However, Asian women are generally anything but docile as a rule. They are also generally not sadistic (although often are very acerbic). Asian women may not be so confrontational, but they sure have it down to a science how to get their way 🙂 The reality is pretty far off of this dumb ass stereotype, although you can always find someone that conforms to type. I could start a similar thread on Why are American Chicks so attacted to a French Accent? At least before this damn fool war. I didn’t understand it until I went to Australia and had all these Australian women that just _adored_ my California accent. And yes, I played it for all it was worth. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/30 "2003-06-16T14:29:05Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Lizard_ > I remember seeing something on TV once too that said bi-racial people are more often perceived as “attractive,” since they have features that are more “universal,” whatever that means. _Goddamn you half-Japanese girls Do it to me every time Oh the red-head said you shred the cello And I’m jello, baby_ -Weezer. Mr Rivers Cuomo agrees on the bi-racial front, it seems. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by Fish_ > I also think it might have something to do with our romanticized ideal of the people from that country. I’m not sure what a romanticized ideal of an American is (to someone overseas) or even if such an ideal exists, but it’s sure harder to see that idealized version when you’re dealing with the dregs all day. Maybe the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, all-American midwestern girl would be the most well-known. But then again, there’s all types of American girls I’d go for. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/31 "2003-06-16T16:20:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Psychopachik\_Vampire \* > \*\*Guilty as charged. However, I feel that I have a good excuse: For a long time, I always felt especially attracted to Oriental women. This was because of the cosmetic characteristics they shared: the shapes of their faces were perfectly matched with the color of thier sking and hair. Really, I always felt especially attracted to Oriental women. But it wasn’t because I thought them exotic, it’s just that enough of them had good characteristics that the moment I knew it was an Oriental, my interest was piqued, and then I would determine for myself if she was actually attracted. > \*\* Bloodsuckers gotta stick together, so I will give you a tip: your chances of gettin’ wit’ any are lowered by not updating yourself. Oriental is way out, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/32 "2003-06-16T17:08:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by China Guy \* > \*\*I gotta call bullshit on that! Some men may have this perception. However, Asian women are generally anything but docile as a rule. They are also generally not sadistic (although often are very acerbic). Asian women may not be so confrontational, but they sure have it down to a science how to get their way 🙂 > > The reality is pretty far off of this dumb ass stereotype, although you can always find someone that conforms to type. \*\* Ah, the Suzie Wong Phenomenon. Asian women are either compliant or sexual predators. Ideally, both in the appropriate situations. I agree with **China Guy**. Asian women may appear to be docile on the surface because to a certain extent that’s what the Asian/at least Chinese culture espouses, but they can be subtle with the manipulation. When you’re not “allowed” to openly voice your opinions and objections (or because you’re English isn’t so great), you retreat to a quieter way of doing things. Not saying this applies to all, of course. The world, however, is a-changing. FWIW, when I meet a non-Asian guy who seems to have a predilection toward dating Asian women, I run the heck the other way. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/33 "2003-06-16T18:02:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lizard \* > **I never could understand the big taste for Asian women on the West Coast when I lived there. I had a white roommate who specifically preferred Asians. Someone told me later that when a white guy says he likes Asian women, it’s a universal signal that he’s looking for someone docile.** I can personally assure you that a 5 min. conversation with my wife will cure ANYONE of this mis-conception. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/34 "2003-06-17T02:15:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by China Guy \* > **I gotta call bullshit on that! Some men may have this perception. However, Asian women are generally anything but docile as a rule. They are also generally not sadistic (although often are very acerbic). Asian women may not be so confrontational, but they sure have it down to a science how to get their way 🙂** Well, it _was_ only hear-say, in that I just heard someone say it. I wouldn’t stand by it as definitive. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/35 "2003-06-17T02:17:45Z")
But that comment of mine sure did elicit a response though, dinnit?! ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/36 "2003-06-17T03:27:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lizard \* > **Someone told me later that when a white guy says he likes Asian women, it’s a universal signal that he’s looking for someone docile.** For some reason, my mom completely agrees with that statement and believes many men want an Asian woman because she’ll listen to him and not argue. She is however, possibly the least docile woman I know and has no qualms going for exactly what she wants. Now would I ever cross my mom and face the wrath of a small, angry Vietnamese woman?!? Only if I was a complete :wally ---
**Author:** ![ace22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@ace22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ace22)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/37 "2003-06-17T05:49:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vixenation \* > \*\*Men, are foreign women really that great, or is it just a matter of something new and exciting? \*\* Yes, they are. I dated a French girl for a year and a half. Her accent just killed me every time. I went to Paris to visit her once and met all her friends, and **Good Lord**. I think I learned something else applicable as well: we find foreign women exotic and more attractive, and expect that a reciprocal relationship is upheld. The foreign women find us more attractive as well. It’s easier to go after them, period. Give me an Aussie or a Russian any day. Or even a Southerner. ---
**Author:** ![tastycorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@tastycorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tastycorn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/38 "2003-06-17T06:53:10Z")
The grass is greener on those Irish girls, ya know… 😉 Could it be that when struggling to make out what those crazy foreigners are trying to say, we actually appear more interested and attentive then we would with the local floozies? Maybe just more interested in what’s above the neckline…. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/39 "2003-06-17T07:37:39Z")
Most american women are spoiled - pure and simple…that turns alot of guys off… Women from other countries (Eastern Europe, Russia, etc.) tend to be less demanding and much more friendly in general and not play games with guys heads; that turns alot of guys on. Smiling instead of sneering does wonders too. My son’s hockey coach (who is Russian) tells the kids, “Bring girlfriends to game, you play harder!” and “Marry Russian girls, they cook great and don’t complain!”, yes it is chauvanistic…but he really did say that… ---
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054/40 "2003-06-17T10:58:48Z")
Ha, I have to agree with the OP. Last year, 3 of my male friends all married oriental/asian girls within months of each other (something to do with student visas running out). It always seems to be white guys with foreign girlfriends, never the other way around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-obsession-with-foreign-girls/182054.md?page=3)