The Lived Experiences of Asian Indian Adoptees in White America
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to understand Asian Indian women adoptees’ life history, primarily focusing on what it means to be adopted into White families. This research examines their biological and adopted cultures and its effect on their identity formation. Through a qualitative study, nine women participated in in-depth interviews and surveys. Their narratives were reflections of: their sense of identity, whether Indian and American, or one identity exclusively; racism; assimilation; and racial and cultural belonging. A major finding of this study is the different types of racism that the participants experienced as children within their communities even though they felt accepted as South Asian. Another finding is how their adoptive parent(s) avoided discussing the topics of race and racism during their childhoods.