Belonging: Ending Inequities, Tropes For AANHPI Women in Workplace

Mattel recently released a new Anna May Wong Barbie to honor the Hollywood icon. But barriers, tropes, bias and the bamboo ceiling persist. (Photo courtesy of Mattel)

What could you do with an extra $267,760 over a lifetime? Buy a home, perhaps, repay student loans, start a business, leave a legacy, found a nonprofit, donate to a worthwhile cause.

The average Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Island woman will likely never know, as that is what this group of women working full time will lose due to the wage gap over a lifetime, according to the National Women’s Law Center.

“The average Asian American, Native Hawaiian Pacific Island woman will lose $267,760 due to the #wagegap over a lifetime, according to the @NWLC. ”

The NWLC research shows that, “As a group, AANHPI women working full time, year-round typically lose nearly $6,700 a year to the wage gap. If this wage gap does not close, an AANHPI woman starting her career today stands to lose $267,760 over the next 40 years compared to a white, non-Hispanic man starting his career at the same time.”’

Projections are much worse for other communities, including “Bhutanese women who stand to lose over $1.3 million compared to white, non-Hispanic men, Burmese women stand to lose over $1.2 million, Nepalese women over $1.1 million, and Hmong and Cambodian women over $1 million dollars as a result of the wage gap over the course of their careers,” CNBC reports.

Persistent stereotypes and overt acts of hate as well as microagressions in the workplace and beyond contribute to a sense of not belonging.

“Persistent #stereotypes and overt acts of hate as well as #microagressions in the workplace and beyond contribute to a sense of not belonging. ”

The Asian American Foundation recently released their third annual STAATUS Index, "Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S." of 5,235 U.S.-based respondents aged 16 and over. The study examines stereotypes and attitudes toward AAPIs.

“Asian Americans—especially young and female Asian Americans—are among the least likely of all racial groups surveyed to feel belonging and acceptance in America,” according to the study. Close to “80% of Asian Americans do not fully feel that they belong and are accepted in the U.S., similar to Hispanic (75%) and Black (76%) respondents; and compared to 43% of white respondents.”

Close to half of Asian Americans say “not seeing others like them in positions of power (43%) is another major reason for feeling a lack of belonging. Asian Americans feel like they don't belong in the workplace (39%), in online spaces/ social media (39%), in their own neighborhoods (33%), and in schools (32%).”

In her recent book, Take Back Your Power: 10 New Rules for Women At Work, Deborah Liu, CEO of Ancestry and former head of payments at Facebook and co-founder of Women in Product, writes: “The truth is that we have to live within this system for years to come because it is not changing anytime soon. We can rage against what it is, but if we don’t understand it and evolve to succeed in it, we will not be able to change it.”

Liu adds, “We must learn how to win, even in an uneven playing field. We must first fight on an individual basis not only to stop giving away our power, but also to become comfortable seeking and living with power.”

The uneven playing field is experienced widely in many different work arenas. A new Association of Asian American Investment Managers study, “Beyond the Glass Ceiling”, surveyed over 600 AAPI female industry professionals in investment management and found that 80% of AAPI women say the bamboo ceiling effect is real. Another “65% of AAPI women disagree or strongly disagree that opportunities for advancement are equitable regardless of race or gender. Another 57% of AAPI women said the bamboo ceiling has affected their career; and 72% said it affects genders differently. Additionally, 62% of AAPI women said the bamboo ceiling most often hindered their career at the latter stages as they moved beyond junior-level positions,” the report shows.

“AAPI women face two simultaneous challenges - to break through both the glass ceiling and the bamboo ceiling.This requires AAPI women to challenge stereotypes and perceptions associated with not only being a woman, but being an Asian woman in our industry,” notes Brenda Chia, AAAIM’s Board Co-Chair.

In the political arena, AAPI women are facing struggles and making strides. Politico recently highlighted the work of Kimberly Yee, state treasurer in Arizona, and Diana Hwang, founder of Asian American Women’s Political Initiative.

“In the political arena, #AAPI women are facing struggles and making strides. #womeninpolitics #bambooceiling”

State Representative “Judy Chu (D-Calif.) has made a name for herself during her 14 years on Capitol Hill that stretches far beyond her district in California. Chu has helped to grow the Congressional Asian American Pacific American Caucus, where she is chair, and its political arm, the ASPIRE PAC,” reports Spectrum News.

“I learned when I ran for the state assembly, that there was not much of an infrastructure for Asian American Pacific Islanders who wanted to run for office, I didn't have many resources to turn to. I knew we had to build that infrastructure, that is a network of people who could support an Asian American candidate, and all the resources that are needed, like the consultants, the fundraisers, the people who could get the endorsements.”

During AAPI Heritage Month, it is critical to acknowledge not only the barriers and disruptions, often referred to as the “bamboo ceiling,” but also the enormous successes, leadership victories, milestones, strides and recognition of high-profile leaders in the community.

“During #AAPIHeritageMonth, it is critical to acknowledge not only the barriers and disruptions, often referred to as the #bambooceiling, but also the enormous successes, leadership victories, milestones, strides and recognition of high-profile leaders in the community. ”

As with all identities, representation is key. For the first time, there is a Barbie “doll honoring late Chinese-American Hollywood icon Anna May Wong” in the Inspiring Women Series, according to People.

”Launched Monday, the figurine reflects Wong's synonymous aesthetic while also telling the story of her impact on film and television (she was the first American-Asian to lead a U.S. show with her role in The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong),” People reports.

This is concurrent with ongoing accolades for Michelle Yeoh and the cast of “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” but fair representation in the arts and Hollywood has been a long time coming.

The recent Gold House Gala honored leaders in the entertainment industry in the AAPI community including “Sandra Oh, Iman Vellani, Netflix’s Bela Bajaria, K-pop sensation NewJeans, transgender advocate Geena Rocero and Ali Wong,” reports the Hollywood Reporter.  

In their new book, Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All, authors and Olympic ice dancers Alex and Maia Shibutani, honor AAPI leaders.

“In their new book, “Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All,” authors and Olympic ice dancers @AlexShibutani and @MaiaShibutani, honor #AAPIleaders.”

Maia Shibutani tells the Hollywood Reporter, “The more people learn about how beautiful our communities are as a whole, that’s going to be really special.”

Still, stereotypes and tropes continue for AAPI women in the workplace.

“The model minority myth was manufactured to divide our communities,” Amanda Nguyen, CEO and founder of Rise, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and 2022 Time Woman of The Year, tells Katie Phang on a recent MSNBC special, “The Culture Is: AAPI Women. 

Resources for leadership, advocacy and community support across the nation for AAPI women include scores of local and national agencies and organizations.

“Resources for #leadership, advocacy and community support across the nation for #AAPIwomen include scores of local and national agencies and organizations.”

Read about author, radio host Sonali Kolhatkar in Take the Lead

Among them, The Center for Asian Pacific American Women, founded in 1995, “strives to nurture our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities by expanding leadership capacity, fostering awareness of AANHPI issues, creating a supportive network, and strengthening communities.” The group founded the  Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute that same year.

In the recent MSNBC special, Anne Chow, former CEO of AT&T Business, says, “So much of leadership is leading with empathy and vulnerability.”

Nguyen adds that the increase in visibility of AAPI leadership is encouraging. “What I saw in this outburst of recognition is that our stories do matter.”

Take The Lead Leadership Takeway:

“I don’t believe in the stereotype that Asian women are quiet. I am not quiet.”

—Amanda Nguyen, CEO and founder of Rise