Description

The voices of Asian Americans may be hushed because of fear and judgment. Many Asian Americans struggle to maintain the identities that are rooted in their home country as they respond to pressure to conform to American norms in order to fit in. Although it is crucial to acknowledge different cultural ideals, there are some problematic traditions and cultural norms that remain. One primary example is the power of gender roles, which describe the societal expectations for men and women. In this study, I use Feminist Theories to explain how perceptions of gender roles have been cultivated and continue to persist throughout generations. The research emphasizes the detrimental effects of oppression, patriarchy, stereotyping, discrimination, and objectification of women, which have influenced society’s constructions of masculinity and femininity. This qualitative research study draws on in-depth interviewing to explore how Asian American college students shape their identity based on the gendered roles and expectations they experience. Participants included five Asian American college students of Vietnamese, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean descent. Interview questions focused on participants’ gender knowledge and experiences, family upbringing, and personal reflections. Upon the completion of qualitative analysis, various themes emerged. First, toxic masculinity caused Asian American men to refrain from expressing their emotions. Participants struggled with gendered roles and responsibilities of being the breadwinner, including pressure to acquire a high-paying job rather than pursuing their true interests. Collectivistic values were identified by the participants because having outlying traits that the family does not approve of, such as being an outspoken woman, can create a negative connotation to the family’s image. Because of the values of respecting elders, participants encountered an unspoken rule that one cannot object to them in any way. Relating to misogyny, women felt restricted in their ability to fully express themselves without being judged as ill-mannered or attention-seeking. Overall, there are traditional gender roles that have managed to carry on through generations of the Asian culture and it has been seen as harmful towards the identities of Asian American college students.