The term “Model Minority” has long been used to paint a broad picture of Asian-Americans as smart and hardworking, wealthy, and well-behaved. And while this has been seen as a more positive stereotype compared to past caricatures, it similarly diminishes the nuanced realities of peoples’ individual lives and sets expectations that can lead to further disadvantages and discrimination. Here’s our Take on how the Model Minority came to be such an insidious force used against Asian-Americans, specifically, and whether we can move away from these stereotypes of perfection toward something more imperfectly real.