Baton, Body, and Belonging: Narratives of First-Generation Asian American Women on the “Glass Podium”

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Marginalized Narratives in Music Education

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of first-generation Asian American women conductors navigating the racialized and gendered norms of the conducting profession. Using Critical Narrative Inquiry and the framework of Racialized Femininities, this research examines how participants negotiate identity, authority, and systemic barriers in a historically white, male-dominated field. Two participants, Amy and Stephanie, shared narratives through in-depth interviews that revealed four key themes: (a) identity and femininities negotiation across contexts, (b) embodied authority and physicality, (c) systemic barriers and gatekeeping, and (d) resistance and relational leadership. I further discuss the “glass podium” metaphor to describe the invisible yet rigid barriers that Asian American women conductors face, requiring them to navigate conflicting expectations tied to both their gender and racial identities.

Author

• Katy Ieong Cheng Ho Weatherly, University of Macau