Understanding AAPI Feminism and Mental Health
The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
As an Asian American, specifically South Asian American or Asian Indian, I represent one of many diverse cultures who commune under the label Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, community. The AAPI community includes East Asians, Southeast Asians, South Asians, Central Asians, and Pacific Islanders, all of whom have different cultural identities which ought to be respected upon seeking mental health services.
As Mutual Ground’s mission is to advocate for all individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, and substance use, an exploration of Asian American and Pacific Islander feminism will help broaden understandings of how helping professions may be culturally responsive when providing these supports to the AAPI community within the United States.
Culturally responsive supports rest on understandings of intersectional feminism, feminism which believes and advocates for the equality of all sexes across different groups and statuses.
Feminism alone is the belief and advocacy for social, political, and economic equity and equality among the sexes. Because sex is a biological identifier assigned at birth, as opposed to gender, a social construct existing on a spectrum of personal choice and societal expectations, feminism includes advocacy for the social and biological safety of all sexes.
Feminism elevates quality of life for all, but common misconceptions of feminism derail progress within this sociopolitical movement, the first being that feminism equates to hating all males. This belief in the hatred of all men is misandry, not feminism. Feminism, by definition, supports men and their unmet social needs, often perpetuated by rigid gender norms which feminists aim to eliminate. This can be seen in the AAPI community when men are labeled as stoic providers and women as submissive nurturers.
A second misconception is that feminism only supports women assigned female at birth (AFAB). This belief is shared by Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs), but does not align with feminism as a whole. There are cultural stigmas among AAPI communities which still do not support LGBTQIA+ youth within their communities due to religious or cultural ideals.
A third misconception is that feminism only advocates for White women. This belief, also referred to as White Feminism, lacks intersectional connections of sex, gender, race, and class. Around 55% of AAPI women experience physical or sexual violence (The Hotline).
Understanding and removing misconceptions about feminism will help mental health professionals explore how those in the AAPI community can be best supported in Western spaces when seeking mental health services. The first way this can be done is by understanding trends in the AAPI experience within the United States. Since January 2020, the rise of COVID-19 in the United States has increased discrimination among the AAPI community. This discrimination is rooted in stereotypes which paint the AAPI as “diseased.” This caused many AAPI to fear engaging in activities as part of their daily routines, leading to mental health challenges that can be overcome through therapeutic services.
Yet, the label of being “easy-going,” aligning with the Model Minority Myth, keeps many within the AAPI from seeking any help. The Model Minority Myth is a fabricated narrative in direct opposition to the stereotypes of other minorities, such as the African American and Hispanic communities, which describes those within the AAPI community as hardworking, successful, and intelligent despite obstacles they face. While this stereotype is positive, it has negative consequences for those in the AAPI community seeking therapeutic, academic, or career help; they feel that they will be judged, seen as weak, or seen as less than others in their community. This myth also aims to separate minorities in America, showing how important intersectional feminism is in uplifting all minority voices.
If seeking help within a community who distrusts you, yet expects you to be successful, is not stressful enough, many AAPI feel they are losing their cultural identity when they seek care from Western professionals. AAPI find themselves defined by their ancestry or immigration status, but not by their own definitions of cultural identity. Speaking for myself, I am proudly bicultural—American and South Asian—and I cannot be defined by just one cultural group to which I belong and have ownership of. But I am one member of the AAPI community. There are those who feel a loss of their indigenous traditions and lands, who find it hard to find feelings of home in America. Knowing this as a practitioner should help AAPI find therapeutic resources in which they can redefine their identities and homes.
This May, research and explore the Asian American & Pacific Islander community so you may learn more about their diverse identities and what supports they may need.
Sources:
Written by Shalini Jasti
Prevention Educator at Mutual Ground
