Asian American was a term used to refer to people who descended from one or more Asian countries and was adopted in a bid to avoid the use of the term oriental which was considered racist. The Asian Americans are culturally diverse as they originate from different countries: China, Japan, India, and Korea among others (Takaki 4). The post 65 migration was brought about by the need for social equity as well as the need for these people to retrace their roots in the U.S. The Asian Americans first settled in Saint Malo, Louisiana when they fled from Spanish sailor ships and then the community came to being when the men married the Native American women. The men sought jobs in plantations as laborers later; though the opportunities were limited before they started migration.
Being immigrants the Asian Americans worked as laborers as they moved but they were concentrated in the West until in the 19th century when the U.S passed the Asian Exclusion Act that was intended to restrict the migration of the Asians. The women, in this community played distinct roles in the course of the migrations as well when they settled down. The Asian Americans were known for their contribution in entertainment, art, business as well as technology. The Asian American women were actively involved in the activities of the communities both social and economic. They helped uphold the culture of the Asian Americans.
The women were responsible for the upbringing of the children and instilling in them the cultural values they had acquired from the Asian and American cultures, those they had grown up with as well as those they had learnt from the Asian and Milano men that they had married. The women were mainly mothers and wives and though they took part in other activities this was their main role in the community. They also were in charge of ensuring that their families were well taken care of and were provided for with everything they needed regardless of the poverty they experienced. They also contributed to the social life of the Asian Americans by interacting with others communities.
The women also were involved in the economic growth of the community though they were always paid less than the men especially if they worked at the bottom of the hierarchy in the plantations as well as lesser than the men in their ethnic groups. Though migration was not necessarily a choice for the women, the choices were made for them by their parents and husbands and this meant they had to work extra hard to live to the required standards at all times. The Asian American women also contributed to enhancement of art and entertainment. The women played a role in beauty-related activities which included hair making and laundry.
The Asian American women were also exposed to racism, sexism as well as marginalization in terms of resource sharing, work distribution, payment and opportunities that were available. Therefore this left women out and they were forced to do all the odd jobs that were available and whose pay was minimal. Some also were forced to involve themselves in sexual activities to fend for their families as well as in order for them to keep their poor paying jobs. The women were often viewed as submissive beings and hence they were often treated harshly if they did not submit to the demands of the westerners.
The Asian pacific American women played major roles in the period of immigration and as much as they were not appreciated for it, they actually worked to ensure their families were provided for at all times. They also ensured economic stability as well as socio-cultural growth of the community even when they were in transit up to when they were officially adapted as citizens of the United States.
Works Cited
Takaki, Ronald. Strangers from a different shore: A history of Asian Americans. London: Little,
Brown and Company, 1998. Print.
