{"id":29796,"date":"2019-01-07T22:07:49","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T22:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/?p=29796"},"modified":"2020-04-10T03:04:38","modified_gmt":"2020-04-10T03:04:38","slug":"leftover-women-caterina-han-asian-women-empowerment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lovehappensmag.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/07\/leftover-women-caterina-han-asian-women-empowerment\/","title":{"rendered":"“Leftover Women” No More! Meet Caterina Han, The First Asian Impact Influencer to Advocate for Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Love Happens met Caterina Han in early 2018 and is delighted to share her story and mission as told in this article written by Joseph Fraia, Chief Editor of Livein<\/em> Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today we want to share a very important but controversial topic that, unfortunately, does not get mainstream attention as it should. It is about women’s current situation and perspective in contemporary China. We met Caterina Han, originally from Beijing, a New Yorker for almost a decade who has decided to be silent no more and step up to have her voice finally heard. Read on to learn all about Caterina’s passion project to combat the term “Leftover Women”, a terribly derogatory term bestowed upon unmarried Asian women over age 30, and to advocate for the millions of other women, like her, who do not accept this injustice deep in their hearts and yet feel helpless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: Courtesy of Caterina Han<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Caterina’s Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Caterina earned her Bachelor degree in Business Administration in Sydney, Australia, then returned to her hometown Beijing where she spent 8 years working for the U.N. and foreign diplomatic missions in China. During her years in China, she also developed a rigorous yoga practice, trained as a yoga instructor and opened her yoga studio in the busy CBD Beijing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She then left China to move to the US to attend graduate school. After finishing school, she tried to inspire her professional life – focused on Real Estate – by looking at the example of successful creative entrepreneurs in order to make an impact and try to change the game by connecting local real estate practices and overseas buyers. Working in real estate in the Capital of the world brought her to an incredible platform and allowed her to work with some of the best and most prominent real estate personalities in the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Mission Emerges<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
While in America, she started to observe and reflect on how Western women portray themselves and the continuous and committed effort of claiming their status and rights, not only on mainstream media but in daily life as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She started focusing her attention on two very different phenomena she thinks are somehow related. On one side, the recent #MeToo and Time\u2019s Up movements have reminded her how women in Western countries have been fighting and protesting (sometimes in very loud and harsh ways, like marches and rallies) for their rights and the recognition of their distinctive role in family, society, and work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other side, she has always been fascinated by Western women esthetic, very often driven in a way to empower confidence and beauty, but also to boost sensuality and power. And, despite the large diversity and \u201cmelting pot\u201d existing in America, and in particular, in New York City, she firmly states the total lack of this presence or such a portrayal about Asian women, especially Chinese, or of mature age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the question arises spontaneously: why don\u2019t we see any Asian\/Chinese mature woman as influential figures on TV shows, films, billboards, commercials, and print magazines? What makes them excluded in US mainstream rhetoric, in the city which embraces diversity? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The So-called “Leftover Women”<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
And if the situation is this bad in America, in China the status of unmarried women over age thirty, the so-called \u201cLeftover Women\u201d, who are actually a very strong component of Chinese contemporary economy and society, is even much more spread and deep. Caterina reports, citing multiple studies and surveys, the phenomenon finds its roots in Chinese gender relations under the society\u2019s overall structural framework shaped by deep-rooted social norms, cultural beliefs and system of values. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a matter of fact, in China women who are not married before they are 28-30 years old, no matter their social\/economic\/educational background or situation, are labeled literally as \u201cLeftover Women\u201d, and \u2013 shockingly \u2013 nobody questions this categorization and the status-quo, not even the victimized women directly involved. This issue is perceived as just a fact, an inevitable occurrence for those \u201cguilty\u201d of not settling at the age set by tradition and society\u2019s standard. This opinion is rooted so deeply and firmly in people\u2019s mind, that not only does nobody think how insulting and offensive this labeling is, but the topic is often the punch-line in popular jokes and the subject of sarcasm and irony against \u2013 again \u2013 often young, well educated pretty girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, the \u201cLeftover Women\u201d themselves do not object to this situation, embarrassed to discuss the topic, and are resigned to find a way to live along with it. For Caterina, witnessing the way Western women stand for themselves and fight for what they believe in, made her decide to not be silent anymore and speak out for a change, to reject the insulting label of \u201cLeftover\u201d. Caterina knows that there are millions of other women, like her, who do not accept this injustice deep in their hearts and yet feel helpless. The lack of initiatives, role models, and advocacy convinced Caterina to take action and to not wait any longer to see a change for good, embracing the old saying \u201cbe the change you want to see in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time’s Up to Rise and Shine<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Once this scenario became clear to her she made up her mind and the path in front of her looks now crystal clear. Her purpose in life is to make a difference, make an impact in people\u2019s lives, and in order to do this she started building and promoting her career and image simply as any other confident qualified solid Western woman would do! Hence, she has launched Caterina Han\u2019s passion project – Time\u2019s Up to Rise and Shine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Source: Joseph Fraia\nChief Editor Livein Magazine. Courtesy of Caterina Han.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
In order to reach out to mainstream media and make a direct impact, she realized that the best way to make a difference is to rise as Brand Ambassador and testimonial for major lifestyle companies and brands (fashion, wellness, travel, hospitality), and so become an example and a role model. And with a specific business purpose in mind, i.e. Chinese buyers have become key to the global luxury market, whether it\u2019s real estate, fashion or overseas travel, especially women, who are the biggest shoppers in the US. Caterina wants to help businesses and media to reach out to this very important demographic of the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with the Brand Ambassador and testimonial activity, Caterina is pursuing a modeling career, an acting career (she was already in a movie awarded at SXSW in 2017), and a writing career: indeed, she is working on a book about this project, to empower Asian\/Chinese women to come out, to raise their voice, and reach their highest potential in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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