Yellow’s not always mellow. A shared interest in media portrayals of Asian American male sexuality led nonprofit consultant Cynthia Brothers and her business partner (who goes by the name “Bang!”) to the Yellow Peril — a fully functional dildo as well as a potent political statement to reclaim Asian American sexual perceptions.

The duo is using one stereotype (the name is a reference to late-19th century stereotypes of Asians as invasive yellow hordes out to destroy Western values and civilization) to battle another (mainstream narratives about Asian male masculinity and lack of sexual prowess). “The ‘yellow’ in Yellow Peril is not just a color,” says Brothers, who moonlights as Hyphen’s blog editor, “but represents the desires of our community, promotes Asian American sexual empowerment and is ‘for us by us.’ ” Of course, the product also fills a, ahem, gap in the market for Asian American sex toys.

Visit yellowdildo.com.

Anne Phabmixay is a writer living in New York City.

Read more from Issue 27: The Sex Issue, available now. Subscribe to Hyphen or pick up a copy at a newsstand near you.