Though Dr. Wu's parents were in support of gender equality, not everyone had the same views. China had a very limited amount of opportunity for women, especially in science, due to the patriarchal aspect of the Confiscian system where the gender norms were heavily enforced. Though things were a bit better in America, women working in male-dominated fields were still rare and even more rare for women of color. Historically women have always worked in domestic roles and were believed to be incapable of learning and performing as well as their male counterparts. Even if a woman were able to receive all the credentials and achieve many accomplishments, their efforts were often ignored, which was exactly what happened to Wu. Her partners, Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang, were awarded the 1957 Nobel peace prize for their theory on beta decay while Wu's work was not recognized. She would address gender discrimination in her field. For example, in her MIT symposium in 1964, she said, "I wonder whether the tiny atoms and nuclei, or the mathematical symbols, or the DNA molecules have any preference for either masculine or feminine treatment."
What also contributed to her disregardment in history was also her identity as a Chinese immigrant. America is historically known to be exploitative and discriminatory towards immigrants and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was still in effect until 1943. Wu would struggle to keep her ties with her family back in China and she was not eligible for citizenship and was able to become one until 1954. Her status as an immigrant limited the job positions she could take despite her PhD. Adding to the fire, anti-Asian hate was at its peak as well around the beginning of World War II. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor had caused a frenzy and hysteria in America where people pointed their fingers at the Japanese Americans and people of Japanese descent and Chinese immigrants also felt the backlash of the hate. Still, Wu pushed on to teach at Smith College, becoming the first female instructor in Princeton, and the first woman to earn a tenured position in the Columbia University's physics department. She would also gain several prestigious awards such as the Wolf Prize in Physics and Comstock Prize in Physics. Despite all her struggles, she remains an amazing figure in women's history for her determination, her achievements, and her passion for science.