Asian Americans and Sexual Orientation

Asian Americans include immigrants and individuals with ancestry from countries in Asia, such as those in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent (e.g., Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam). Despite some commonalities, each ethnic group has unique histories, cultures, migrations, languages, experiences, and much more. [Page 103]Included in the uniqueness is how sexual orientation is viewed differently by various Asian cultures, meaning Asian Americans, who often retain much of their ancestors’ heritage, have different experiences with regard to sexual orientation. It is important to note that the general public often confuses sexual orientation with gender identity. The term sexual orientation refers to an individual’s affective/romantic and ...