Asian American Gender Roles

The gender roles in traditional Asian communities encouraged male dominance thus the high level of gender inequality in these communities. In many societies, gender is not only a source of identity but also a factor that determines what role an individual is supposed to play in the society. The Asian societies have among the communities that can be used in the illustration of the extent to which the roles of people of different genders can be different. It is understood that the roles that were traditionally meant for different genders were different in various ways. Masculinity is an important component in the social construction of gender relations (Brod, 1987; Kimmel, 1987; Kimmel & Messner, 1995). Asian American men use masculinity as means

to define themselves and relate to family, partners, and acquaintances. It also represents how they present themselves in public, the workplace, school, and any other situations. Asian- American men bring about gender relations with women and other men in their lives through masculinity. Policies, practices, and images portrayed Asian-American masculinities in several ways. They viewed them as permanent outsiders or foreigners. Asian men were viewed as hypersexualized but at the same time emasculated. Many have argued that Asians are more intelligent but less sexual than whites and some feel their masculinity is challenged when Asian women date white males. In the past three decades, Asian-American heterosexual men have explored their own masculinities in search of new forms and expressions (Chan, 1998; Cheng, 1996; Chin, 1981; Fulbeck, 1990). Studies constantly show that Asian-American men’s masculinity is based on white men.

“Nonetheless, despite many countries of South Asia claiming equal rights and citizenship in their constitutions, strict gender roles remain the norm for the vast majority of South Asians” (In Alston, M., 2014). Current customs and practices define acceptable behavior for men and women and are supported by laws that preserve gender inequalities.” These practices entrench women’s dependency on men, with control over their lives passing from their fathers to their husband and family in law on marriage, and their sons and brothers on widowhood” ( In Alston, M., 2014).