UCLA Center for the Study of Women

Most of the literature on nail technicians has focus on Korean nail salons in New York City. The few studies on Vietnamese nail technicians have only focused on women’s roles but have not addressed Vietnamese men who also work in these spaces. On the other hand, studies on gendered work have looked at men in feminized occupations such as nursing, librarianship, elementary school teaching, and social work. But these occupations have not taken race into account. In order to bridge this gap, my research focuses on Vietnamese women and men working in nail salons. Therefore, this study provides a glimpse into gendered work, insight that has not been previously studied by other scholars.