Gendered Panethnic Solidarity: The Experiences of Asian American Women in US Electoral Politics

• In Event: 50655 - Asian and Asian American Women

Abstract

This paper is the first ethnographic study focusing on Asian American women’s experiences in electoral politics. It has three important contributions to the literature on Asian Americans’ panethnicity and political engagement. First, I illuminate the specific gendered and racialized position Asian American women occupy in the US formal political process today. I argue that, despite the ethnic differences or their long tenure in politics, the sexism within their panethnic or ethnic communities combined with racism from the non-Asian populations lead to their “doubly marginalized” position in politics. Second, I highlight the different stereotypes of East/Southeast Asian women and South Asian women operating in politics, offering a nuanced analysis of the racism targeting various Asian ethnicities, particularly those of women. Last, I expand the literature on panethnicity by demonstrating the emergence of a “gendered” Asian American panethnicity among Asian American women, which is less frequently discussed in the literature. Despite coming from different ethnic backgrounds, the similar experiences of sexism and racism among Asian American women enable their specific gendered panethnic solidarity, leading to their support of other Asian American women in politics.

Author

• Chen Liang, University of Texas-Austin