Disrupting Nostalgic Scenes of Whiteness: Asian Immigrant Bridal Shops and Racial Visibility in the Ethnoburb

摘要

This article examines Asian immigrant bridal salons in an "ethnoburb" of Los Angeles and the racial and cultural politics embroiled in struggles for representation and visibility. Created to meet the needs of couples wishing to incorporate "culture" in their weddings, the shops that line Temple City's main street offer services ranging from photography, bridal attire rentals, and hair and make-up style transformations. A transnational bridal industry emerged in the early 1990s when exchange between Asia and the U.S. intensified. As the booming "tiger" economies contributed to regional global restructuring, tensions fomented in local spaces resulting from residents perceiving the burgeoning Asian population as a threatening presence in the landscape.