Asian Americans hiding cultural identity: Survey

About one in five Asian Americans say they have hidden some aspects of their culture from people who are not Asian, for reasons such as potential discrimination, "fear of being embarrassed", and wanting to avoid awkward questions or having to explain themselves.

About 30 percent of Asians born in the United States say they have hidden their culture, compared with 15 percent of Asian immigrants.

These are some of the key findings of a new report released on Monday by the Pew Research Center in Washington. The survey is based on a sample of 7,006 adults in the US who identify as Asian, either alone or combined with other races or Hispanic ethnicity. Respondents were interviewed between July 5 and Jan 27.

Young Asian Americans are more likely to hide some aspects of their culture or heritage, such as food, cultural practices, clothing or religious practices, than the older Asians, the survey found.

Thirty-nine percent of Asian Americans aged 18 to 29 said that they have done so, compared with 12 percent among those aged 50 to 64, and 5 percent of those 65 and older.

When asked why they have hidden aspects of their culture, Asian adults born in the US cited reasons such as a "lack of understanding" and "fear of discrimination".

Those two responses highlight the challenges faced by US-born Asians, who often must "deal with non-Asians having a general lack of knowledge of their heritage" or "avoid negative experiences such as bullying, teasing or mockery", the report said.

For foreign-born Asians, the reason for hiding aspects of their culture is more likely to be the "extra effort sometimes needed to explain aspects of their heritage to non-Asians". They also cited fears of prejudice or situations that would make them feel uncomfortable.

The Pew survey was released during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a celebration to recognize the contributions and influence of the AAPI community to the history, culture and achievements of the US.

Asian Americans comprise 7 percent of the US population, according to data from Pew. Nearly all, or 90 percent, of Asians in the US say they have many different cultures.

Surging hate crimes

The Asian community is dealing with a surge in hate crimes and attacks. Nearly three out of four Chinese Americans reported experiencing racial discrimination within the past year, according to a recent study by Columbia University and the nonprofit Committee of 100 in New York.

That figure has further led to most Asian Americans not feeling safe in the US. The Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the US index this year reveals that half of them feel unsafe due to their race or ethnicity.

Asians are also the least likely to feel they belong to and are accepted in the US. A survey conducted by the Asian American Foundation in San Francisco and the nonprofit Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change found that 22 percent of Asian Americans said they feel accepted by the US, compared with 57 percent of white respondents, 25 percent of Hispanic people and 24 percent of black people.