Decades ago, an Asian woman manager attended one of our Managing Within the Law classes at a Silicon Valley company. In my years of experience, Asian women rarely spoke up. This woman was different. She frequently made comments and asked questions. Everything she said was relevant and insightful, but at one point I thought, “What is wrong with her?” In other words, she wasn’t behaving consistently with my stereotype of Asian women. Fortunately, I caught myself and didn’t try to shut her down.
Fast forward to 2019, when I was on a committee with another Asian woman, who was executive director of a large nonprofit. She rarely said anything in our meetings, but I figured if she had something to say, she would. One day I decided to experiment with not being the first or second person to say something. The woman suddenly became talkative. Her knowledge and wisdom were invaluable. I realized I had been “taking up air” in the meetings and not allowing her or others space to speak.
Any of us may hold unconscious stereotypes about people who are Asian that affect how we interact with them. We may have unconscious behaviors that exclude others.
The tragedy in Atlanta shows how stereotypes play out in the news. Pundits immediately began implying that the massage spas were fronts for prostitution. The idea that “Asian massage” is a recognized style of legitimate, restorative massage was rarely if ever mentioned. The fact that one of the Asian women who was killed was there as a client with her husband on a date night was downplayed. The fact that most of the women were Americans was brushed aside in stories that emphasized immigration and foreignness. Some were married with kids and grandkids. None of these facts fit the narrative.
In the workplace, we need to be aware of how stereotypes can affect our perceptions, judgement, and decisions. Not long ago, a case in Hawaii involved the stereotype of the sexualized Asian woman. Her boss frequently said, “Thai women are gold diggers.” He repeatedly asked her, “When are you going to divorce your husband?” He constantly pinched, squeezed, tweaked, and pulled her arm. The court found it was sexual harassment. One wonders if the manager’s stereotypes about Asian women led him to feel he could be more brazen than he might be with other women. [OYAMOT v. KAWAILOA DEVELOPMENT, LLP doing business as Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa and Poipu Bay Golf Course, 453 P.3d 835 (Haw. Ct. App. 2019)]
What this means to you: Be aware of your own stereotypes and unconscious biases about people who are Asian—or Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, women, LGBTQ+, disabled, religious, older, immigrant, or anything else. Don’t assume quiet people have nothing to contribute—leave space for them to talk, and ask for their opinions. Don’t assume Asians are great at tech but not in art or literature. Catch stereotypes in the news and in conversations online or at work. When you hear stereotypes and assumptions, do what you can to educate others. Speak up. When we work together to eliminate bias, we can change the world.
Updated 04-11-2021
Information here is correct at the time it is posted. Case decisions cited here may be reversed. Please do not rely on this information without consulting an attorney first.
