Theories of intersectionality encourage scholars to look at
how “gender” experiences are forged through race, particularly in the labor
market. This study uses data from the 2000 1-percent Public Use Microdata
on 23,852 Filipina, Asian Indian, and non-Hispanic white women
living in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to examine additive and
interactional influences on earnings. A detailed analysis of interaction effects
by race-ethnicity reveal several important differences across the three groups
of women. The results of this study show that popular stereotypes about
Asian-origin groups, such as “model minority,” mask significant barriers
in achieving full equality in the labor market. The study also highlights the
importance of immigration context and occupational race segregation in
understanding earnings for non-white immigrant women.