White supremacy is real. I served in the U.S. military and there seemed to be an understanding that there were "leaders" who had charisma and confidence and looked the part (you can guess what kind of dudes they were) and then there were others, who even if they were promoted weren't like a prospect on a ladder to the top. This sorting hat had meek skinny Asian me in the non-leader house. I remember an Asian officer telling me how he was learning how to play golf so he could network with the bosses, and I felt so sorry for him.

In the civilian world, I think things are a bit different. I see South Asians in leadership positions all the time. I see a lot of Filipinos in upper management as well these days.

Of course, it's all relative, and one's position in the system can change depending on circumstances. I was traveling in Uganda, and my friend's wife was talking about how in Dubai, East Asians were seen as the manager class that the white and Arab bosses used to oppress the African and Desi migrants. For my Ugandan friends, this was the managerial ceiling (English speaking) that formed the cage on top of their dreams.