USA (Commonwealth Union)_ According to a new study, young Indian-Americans, who are part of the 3.5 million plus South Asian population residing in the United States, encounter racial and ethnic prejudice as early as in preschool, which affects the development of their identities. According to the research conducted by the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, the second-generation Indian-American teenagers are more susceptible to prejudice as they explore and form their identities.
The researchers interviewed nine Indian-Americans aged 12 to 17 about their experiences with classmates who made racial remarks regarding Indian culture, language, and religion. An Indian-American student stated, “This one kid found a rock and said ‘look it’s your God’ and in math class we had like little dots and we would have to… put them into groups… And a white kid was saying ‘is this your God?’ and put it on his forehead”. He added, “Then sometimes they would say stuff about the food or they would mock an Indian accent like, ‘I don’t like Indian food’ . Some people have said things like ‘it’s gross’ or ‘it’s weird’ or ‘it smells really bad”.
In addition to reporting hate crimes, the teenagers also opened up about the challenges of balancing their Indian identity with their wish to be recognized as Americans. A number of preschoolers expressed frustration over their non-white skin and said that they desired to be more American instead. According to research, this balancing act frequently involves code switching, in which respondents speak and behave differently at home and at school. In certain cases, these teenagers believed that they did not belong to either group.
The study revealed that discrimination against Indian-American adolescents starts in preschool or elementary school. All of these teenagers were categorized as second-generation, as they were born in the United States to parents who immigrated from India after the age of 18. The study was undertaken by Jamilia Blake, PhD, a professor at the School of Public Health; Asha K. Unni, an Indian-American doctorate graduate; and colleagues from Texas A&M University and Davidson College. Asian Indians were the first South Asians to move to the United States in the late 18th century, and today they remain the country’s largest ethnic group.
