about me:

Similar to everyone else in the class, I have taken many of the same courses offered here at St. Olaf but unlike most, my upbringing has been very different. I was born in Loei, Thailand and came to the United States when I was six years old. By the time I was eleven, I had helped raised seven of my siblings. Life was rough for everyone but it was harder for my parents. My mom was juggling with motherhood and high school while my dad was trying to get his Associates and working full time. In order for the family to function, everyone had to make sure their specific gender roles were fulfilled. Meaning there was no time to question or challenge the patriarchal structure; everything happens because “it’s the way it’s supposed to”.

Up until my sophomore year here at St. Olaf, I was busy trying to pave the way for my siblings and to be an obedient daughter to my parents that there was little room left to focus on anything else, such as feminism. I grew up in a very patriarchal family and learned to accept my dad as the decision maker. I suffered along with the women in my life due to their oppression from men. But at the same time, I have always admired strong and independent American women, not knowing a world of feminism exist nor considering that there is so much history behind it. But it was not until I took Feminist Theology that I became enlightened. It felt like I had somehow deviated from my Shamanistic beliefs and found a new “religion”, a religion comprised of women’s rights.

My decision to major in Women Studies has really helped me to understand and connect with not just the women in my life but the men as well. I do agree with what Professor Sabo said that feminism is personal and that it leads to activism. Because of this, I have decided to create a Hmong Women Dialogue group on campus. I am still in the process of putting the group together this semester but I am hoping to bring together the experiences of college Hmong women and other women who are interested to come together and develop trusting friendships. To echo everyone else, I look forward to our discussions and to learn more about feminism. As we all dive into these heated topics, remember to keep an open mind that everyone is shaped by their own unique upbringing.