Feminist Perspective on the Experiences of Filipino Domestic Workers in Hong Kong: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences and coping mechanisms of Filipino domestic workers (FDWs) in Hong Kong through a feminist lens. Drawing on Nussbaum’s Capability Approach and the Socioecological Model of Resilience, the study investigates how these workers interpret their labor conditions and navigate gendered vulnerabilities. Data was collected from eleven participants using semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires, analyzed thematically. Findings reveal that FDWs endure cycles of emotional labor, spatial incarceration, and legal precarity, often intensified by intersectional stigma tied to education and class. Despite these challenges, participants exhibit resilience through peer solidarity, spiritual practices, and aspirational goal-setting. Their narratives expose the paradox of being indispensable yet structurally devalued, illuminating both systemic injustices and human agency. The study highlights the need for structural reforms, culturally grounded mental health support, employer education, and reintegration programs tailored to workers' lived realities. Full-length participant quotations were retained to preserve phenomenological integrity and narrative depth. The research paradigm and approach combine transformative phenomenology with feminist theory to illuminate the complex, intersectional experiences of FDWs, foregrounding their voices and agency within broader socio-political contexts. By centering worker voices, the research contributes to feminist discourse on transnational labor and reimagines resilience as both a personal and political act. It underscores that FDWs are not merely laboring bodies but meaning-makers who persist, resist, and reframe their conditions with dignity.