Colorist Microaggressions and Brown Asian Americans

Implications for Behavioral Science

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3757945
AutoresD R Gina Sissoko (0000-0002-9506-8715, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA, autor de correspondencia), Sheharyar Hussain (0000-0002-0714-7713, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA), Kristina Arevalo (The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA), Wiston Rodríguez (The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA), Saniya Soni (The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA), Emerson Tejeda (The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA), Kevin L Nadal (0000-0003-4488-0268, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA)
Año2024
Volumen70
Número4
Páginas458-484
Fecha de publicación2024-03-14
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/00027642241231318
OpenAlexW4392817319
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas45

This article examines the manifestation of colorism toward Brown Asians through Microaggression Theory. Colorism has been defined as a stratification system based on skin tone, where those with the lightest skin tones are granted the most privileges, whereas those with the darkest are granted the least. Colorism impacts Asian Americans across domains, including education, employment, family relations, body image, and marital prospects. Brown Asians are particularly vulnerable to colorism and associated behaviors, as evidenced by the fact that South Asian countries house the largest skin bleaching markets. However, due to the historical aggregation of data on Asian American groups, research has traditionally focused on lighter-skinned East Asians, and experiences of darker-skinned Asians (i.e., South and Southeast Asians) remain largely obscured. This article describes the historical obscuring of colorism within Asian and American communities and utilizes Microaggression Theory to describe the potential manifestation of colorism toward Brown Asian communities. We propose five themes of colorist microaggressions Brown Asians may experience: (a) Invisibility & Exclusion, and Authenticity (b) Assumptions of Beauty and Desirability, (c) Assumptions of Inferior Status or Intellect, (d) Assumptions of Deviance and Criminality, and (e) Internalized Microaggressions. Furthermore, we discuss additional considerations in studies of Brown Asian experiences, including cultural, historical, and ethnic heterogeneity, intersectionality, and experiences within organizations and institutions

Asian americans · Criminology · Ethnic group · Sociology · Anthropology · Critical Race Theory in Education · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social and Intergroup Psychology