The fall of “the other half of the sky”? chinese immigrant women in the new york area

Abstract

Using information from the 1990 U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) and from intensive interviews conducted in 1996 and 1998, this paper explores the impact of migration on gender ideology and relations of married mainland Chinese immigrant women living in New York City. It challenges the notion that these women, by virtue of the emigration act, enjoy more liberty, freedom, and equality than in their country of origin. It proposes that gender relations for these women in effect evolve on multiple paths depending on the pre- and postmigration circumstances of the individual. The study found that working-class Chinese women are concentrated in low-pay, low-skilled jobs in New York and assume heavy household burdens, but their financial contribution to the family strengthens their relative status within the household. In contrast, women from middle-class families experience mixed changes. Many face problems in pursuing further education and in securing jobs that correspond with their qualifications, leading to significant deterioration of their relative status.