In this article, Robyn Rodriguez and Vernadette Gonzalez explore the import subculture and its implications and effects on Asian-American youth. They start of their article describing a typical scene from a Hollywood movie, The Fast and the Furious, to model how influential foreign car culture has become in the United States. It has evolved to become a symbol of status and 'masculinity' among men of color.
In the United States, cars have a very important role in the lives of the people who live here; they serve not only as modes of transportation, but as an indicator of lifestyle, mobility, and enfranchisement. Cars are connected to the notions of individualism and modernity that is embodied by 'American' consumerism.
The gendering of cars is something that I've pondered for a very long time, often hearing people (particularly men) refer to their cars as 'her'. A lot of people in my high school were also fixated on fast, low cars and 'stunting' with them at school. Having cars and having a driver's license were a status symbol in my high school. They were a sign of maturity and freedom from reliance on guardians to drive us everywhere.
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