The box office hit Crazy Rich Asians has proven to be a massive success, with a $34 million domestic haul over five days, with estimates projecting an eventual domestic take of more than $100 million.  The film stretches beyond it’s rom-com roots, showcasing female leads exploring the complexities of Asian cultural identity, as well as the current struggle women everywhere face in work, love and family.

The film entertains with an array of well-developed female characters facing what modern women everywhere are still fighting for – the ability to compete fairly to achieve a high level of professional success, personal self-worth beyond unattainable standards of beauty, egalitarian romantic relationships based on mutual respect, and a family life that allows for motherhood without total self-sacrifice of personal aspirations.  The New York Times recently published back-to-back pieces on these very dilemmas: Costs of Motherhood Rise, Catching Women Off-Guard, How Sexism Follows Women From Cradle to Workplace capturing how far behind American society is in providing equal opportunities for women to balance work and family engagements compared to their male counterparts.

Crazy Rich Asians’ myriad of honest storylines capture women fighting to defy oppressive gender stereotypes, using brilliant strategy to seize control of their future, as well women complicit in their own oppression, scorning others for not having ‘corrective’ plastic surgery, wielding power against women for not being born into wealth and class, and hurling misogynistic insults like ‘gold digger’ to provoke conflict and pain.

 

Crazy Rich Asians brings thoughtful attention to the intersectionality of Asian culture and gender identity in light of major life milestones women aspire towards, including professional, marital and family developments.

I continue to be inspired by the diverse mix of Asian women I’ve come to know though my coaching practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. Supporting them through their pivotal life transitions has given me a deep appreciation for their unique experiences as Asian American women striving to achieve work/life balance in Silicon Valley.  Inclusive stories like those depicted in Crazy Rich Asians create an enriching opportunity for us to dissect, discuss and plan for success through all the challenges they may face.