That Asian Girl Is a Problem: Confessions of a Recovering Good Girl

In a world that tells women of colour they are either too much or not enough, Rachel Phan asks: What if being a “problem” is actually the point?

That Asian Girl Is a Problem is a bold, witty, and uncompromising collection about what it means to live as a racialized woman in spaces that were never built for you. Drawing from her own experiences, Phan dives into the contradictions of being the “problem” woman in the workplace, in family, in faith, in marriage and even in her own body. With sharp humour and unflinching honesty, she exposes the absurdity of a society that demands gratitude, silence and smallness from women of colour—and explores what happens when they finally refuse.

From a court transcript satirizing how racialized women are “tried” for being too much at work, to a tongue-in-cheek recipe for the perfect Asian female body, to searing reflections on filial pity, interracial marriage, queerness and imposter syndrome, That Asian Girl Is a Problem blends memoir, cultural critique and playful experimentation to expose the pressures racialized women face—and the thrill of living on your own terms.

Part social commentary, part coming-of-age, part rebellion, this book transforms every insult and “flaw” into an act of resilience and defiance. For anyone who’s ever been called difficult, too much, or simply a problem, Rachel Phan offers both recognition and a rallying cry: being a problem might be the most honest and freeing way to live.

“Simultaneously introspective and cheeky, Phan’s candid writing will be relatable to anyone—especially Asian girls—striving to break expectations. This book is an important reminder for us all to live authentically and freely.”

“That Asian Girl Is a Problem is a smart and searing exploration of the ways that Asian women are asked to minimize our rage. Sharp, provocative, and deeply relatable, Phan’s collection is a love letter to all of us who have been called ‘too much.’ It parses the heavy weight of mental health challenges amidst familial and cultural tensions with a keen and empathetic eye—Phan’s voice is an essential reminder that what we carry is not just our own.”

“This book is a must-read for recovering good girls everywhere. Rachel Phan spoke to my soul with her eloquent and honest essays about the unrelenting pressures of being the right kind of Asian girl—a prospect that is neither rewarding nor tenable. Phan’s writing is full of insights on race, sexuality, religion, publishing, and friendship, all weaved together by one powerful and defiant proclamation: ‘This is me.’ Phan’s escape from the good girl trap and what she discovers along the way remind us that being your most genuine self is where true joy lies.”

“Every part as compelling, honest, and relatable as her debut memoir, Rachel Phan returns with a bold collection of essays that highlights the contradictory nature of existing as an Asian girl in modern society. That Asian Girl Is a Problem achieves the herculean feat of addressing a wide-range of topics through essays that are innovative, witty, and incredibly breezy to read. It’s a book that everyone will see themselves in, whether they’re a problematic Asian girl or not.”

“Thoughtful, intimate, and raw, That Asian Girl is a Problem bravely examines the discomfort of growing up and being a Chinese woman in Canada. In candid, vulnerable prose, Phan’s essays skillfully showcase how Western and Eastern cultures have shaped her personal experiences, fusing historical examination and feminist critique to skewer colonial and racist views on the model minority myth... This is an important and timely contribution to Asian-Canadian literature.”