Intersectionality and the Asian American Community - Assignment Example

Intersectionality and the Asian American Community Intersectionality as regards to Asian Americans is in the essence of the overlapping of different social categorizations that are used to discriminate persons that are Asian American. Multiple categorizations are associated with this concept, but the most outstanding ones are race, sexual orientation, gender, and class. This regards sexual orientation; the outstanding discrimination perspectives that are reported amongst Asian American are transphobia and homophobia. However, the one challenge that 86% of Asian Americans allude to have faced is the occurrence of xenophobia. This is whereby, coupled with other discriminative strategies, those that are in the system of oppression focus more on the fact that the victim is a foreigner. This paper’s focal point is to outline how these intersectionalities are constantly being used in various regards in the discrimination of the Asian American community. The Dream Act refers to an existing piece of legislation that is bipartisan. It relates to young people that have grown up in the United States, through its high school system but their future has become bleak as threatened by immigration laws. It should be noted that 11% of immigrants into the U.S.A are Asian American (Havard Kennedy School, 29). Although the Dream Act focuses on a number of requisites in order for one to be registered as American, this paper, only focuses on two. Firstly, the provision that one must be of sound moral character has been a point of confusion for Asian Americans as it is not specific enough. There have been cases where Asian Americans faced deportation and proved in accordance with the law that there were of good moral conduct but still emended up on the blunt side of the law. Secondly, the provision for military enlistment is one that has been used to lure many Asian- Americans into the military only to have them do it in vain as they never acquire registration. In the same light, the immigration laws have for the most part been used against Asian Americans. This beats the logic of legislation because rather than shed light on the issue it has cast the Asian American community further in the dark. As previously stated the moral standing clause is one that is not sufficiently in use as even Asian Americans that have met all assertions, of it, still face deportation. Furthermore, the immigration laws are not fully effective to deal with some rarities. For instance as in the case of Tam Tran, a 24 year old university student, the country upon which one may be deported to (on the basis of birth) may not want them (Tran, 1). In that case, they continue to live in America as foreigners whilst in essence they have grown and learnt in the American system of education. The minority of Asian Americans in the congress has plagued the education system. It is common knowledge that Asian Americans, of all communities, in the U.S.A have the most outstanding performance in schools. However, this does nothing for the fact that they can hardly afford the cost of education. This has to do with the class categorization; whilst they have a large number of workers within them, they have a larger number of dependents. This would mean that education thus becomes another amenity that they have to struggle tooth and nail to afford. In respect of this Asian Americans, face discrimination based on gender in the workplace. The female Asian American, it has been reported faces more discrimination than their colleagues. This is not to say that the male Asian American employee is safe by any means. Rather, this postulates that female Asian Americans simply have it worse because they are battling both xenophobia and chauvinism. Furthermore, with the challenges in renewal processes for the Average Asian American, they have a limited rate of employment options. This is because once its time for renewal, they experience delays causing them, to looser their jobs. For this reason the Asian American employee force (most of it) is forced to settle for poorly paying jobs or keep jumping from one to another and be unable to acquire their career goals (Tran, 3). All the above factors, coupled have affected the diversity with which Asian Americans identify as such. It is much easier for one to be able to uphold their identity as Asian Americans if they are in the upper or middle class. This is because they have the ability to pursue various legal measures if need to and attain the recommended education level in order for them to “remain” American. One is meant to identify with a nationality through birth heritage or naturalization. A number of Asian Americans may not have either of the above if they have been in America all their lives. This would mean that Asian Americanism is being imposed on them based on appearance and being used to discriminate them. The community at hand, especially the younger generation, may actually recent being Asian American. If all the above were to be remedied in order to accord social change to the Asian American intersectionality dispute, the following would have to be effected. Firstly, workplace chauvinism would have to be done away with. This would allow the female populace (inclusive of Asian Americans) one economical battle. Secondly, the Asian American LBTQ community would have to be accorded equal platforms as the rest of Americans. Notably, most of the people in question come out to their relatives and finds before the age of 18- making them psychologically vulnerable (Ishihara, 1). There is a need to ensure that they have a viable and strong support system. A re-evaluation in the concept of class would also be useful. Even if most Asian Americans are in the working system they have more dependents, the median weekly levels of income that they acquire only do so little. They should be accorded more job opportunities, and given that they do so well academically, have better income levels. The immigration laws should be transparent. It is unfair to have them be cajoled into joining the military under false pretense. Whilst the importance of military work cannot be overlooked, this option should only be present to the Asian American community, amongst other minorities if complete transparency were to be applied. The most notable point of change that could possibly come along is to allow more representation in congress. Works Cited Havard Kennedy School. "Asian American Policy Review." Havard Journal of Asian American policy Review (2011): 29-37. Ishihara, K. A Census of Our Own: the state of QSEA America. Rhode Island: Queer Southeast Asian Network, 2012. Tran, T. Testimony of Tam Tran. Wahinton,D.C.: House Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International law, 2007. Read More