“The Submerged Half” - 1916

In 1916, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee delivered her powerful speech titled "The Submerged Half" at the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s annual convention. In this speech, Lee highlighted the struggles faced by Chinese-American women, drawing attention to their unique position within both the suffrage movement and society at large. As a Chinese-American woman, Lee's perspective was both rare and invaluable within a movement that was primarily focused on the struggles of white women. Lee’s speech emphasized the dual challenges of gender and race, as Chinese-American women were not only fighting for women's rights but also grappling with the systemic discrimination and exclusion imposed by the broader society. She described the experiences of Chinese women as being "submerged," highlighting the ways in which they were oppressed and overlooked both by the dominant racial group and by the women's suffrage movement itself, which often failed to acknowledge the specific needs of women of color.

Despite these challenges, Lee passionately advocated for the inclusion of all women, regardless of their race, in the fight for equality and the right to vote. She articulated that true equality could not be achieved until every woman, including those from marginalized communities, was granted the full rights and recognition they deserved. In her speech, Lee also underscored the importance of education and activism in empowering Chinese-American women, urging them to rise above societal expectations and fight for their rightful place in the suffrage movement. "The Submerged Half" was not just a call for racial inclusion within the suffrage movement, but a broader demand for social justice, underscoring the need to address both gender and racial inequality. Through this speech, Lee made a significant contribution to the intersectional approach to suffrage activism, pushing for a more inclusive and equitable movement that reflected the diverse realities of all women. Though her voice was often silenced by racial barriers, Lee's advocacy remains a cornerstone of the broader struggle for women's rights and racial equality.