Why is interracial marriage among Asian Americans decreasing?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is a result of traditional media outlets such as TV and movies becoming less of an influence on the general Asian population as they choose to shape their own views and identity free of media molding and stereotyping by surfing the net for information rather than having their roles in society dictated to them


I do feel however that Asian representation in the traditional media is abhorent to say the very least and As such Asians as a whole need to do what ever they can to gain control of their own image. There are probably less Asians in the media today than there were ten years ago and they're stereotyped worst than ever before.





http://www.proudasianamerican.com/Articl...





Interracial Marriages Decrease Among Asian Americans


Gender Disparity Shrinks as Pan Asian American Marriages Rise


By J.J. Huang


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After rising for decades, the rate of interracial ("IR") marriages for contemporary (aged 25-34) U.S.-born Asian Americans has declined from 2000 to 2004 according to data tabulated from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 American Community Survey ("ACS") and the Census 2000. Contemporary 1.5 Generation Asian American females also experienced fewer IR marriages. Part of the decline was due to record levels of Pan Asian marriages (marriages between Asians of different ethnicities). Surprisingly, the rate of IR marriage decreased most prominently among U.S.-born Asian American females, shrinking the IR marriage gender disparity that historically was skewed towards females. In addition, sharp differences and changes were found in IR marriage statistics between the major Asian American ethnicities.





IR marriage has become the most explosive social issue within the Asian American community. It is an emotionally divisive debate often loaded with charges of racism and sexism from within and without along gender lines due to significantly higher numbers of IR marriages among Asian women. The 2000 IR marriage statistics are startling. Contemporary U.S.-born Asian American women as a whole were more likely to have a white husband than an Asian husband. In fact, for several ethnic groupings of Asian women, wives were twice as likely to have a non-Asian husband than an Asian husband. Contemporary U.S.-born Asian American men lagged significantly behind in IR marriages giving rise to the so-called gender disparity.





Many observers predicted the rate of IR marriages to increase for both genders as Asians continued to assimilate in the U.S. The 2004 results run counter to these expectations and all the more surprising given the short timeframe and an unexpected contributor of decreased IR marriages; Pan Asian marriages.





Study Methodology





The data tabulations focused on U.S.-born and 1.5 Generation Asian Americans aged 25 to 34. 1.5 Generation Asian Americans are defined as foreign born Asians who immigrated to the U.S. as children before the age of 14. These age and upbringing distinctions are important in order to focus on Asian Americans who are socialized within the context of contemporary U.S. race relations. This methodology filters out distortions such as war brides, mail-order brides and limits Asian international adoptees to the 1.5 Generation (of which only a small minority would be of marrying age in 2000). U.S.-born and 1.5 Generation Asian Americans are commonly referred to as U.S.-raised Asian Americans.





Interracial marriage is defined as a marriage to a white, black, native American, native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, other race or a mixed race individual. The data could only measure marriages where the spouse was present in the household. In keeping with U.S. Census Bureau conventions, Hispanics are considered an ethnicity and may belong to any race.





It is also important to note that U.S.-raised Asians Americans as a whole are demographically young stemming from recent waves of immigration (the exception are Japanese Americans due to their long and stable presence in the United States, they are the only demographically mature U.S.-raised Asian ethnicity). As a result, between 2000 and 2004 there was an explosion of marriages among contemporary U.S.-raised Asians Americans. Thus, although the 2004 ACS is a much smaller dataset than the Census 2000, the 2004 ACS makes up for some of this deficiency by having a higher weighting of Asian marriages.





Tables Census 2000 2004 ACS


Males RS-M99-2000US-A RS-M99-2004ACS-A


Females RS-F99-2000US-A RS-F99-2004ACS-A





2000 IR Marriage Statistics





In 2000, for the contemporary U.S.-raised Asian American population, 30% of males were in IR marriages vs. 43% of females. IR marriage was highest among U.S.-born Asians; 44% for males and 58% for females vs. 23% for males and 35% for females of the 1.5 Generation. About 80% of all intermarriage was to white race individuals.





Among major ethnicities of Asian males, U.S.-born Japanese and Filipino Americans were most likely to be intermarried at 51% (tied). 1.5 Generation Chinese and Vietnamese Americans were least likely to be intermarried at 16% and 17%, respectively.





Among major ethnicities of Asian females, U.S.-born Filipino and Korean Americans were most likely to be intermarried at 66% (tied). 1.5 Generation Asian Indian and Chinese Americans were least likely to be intermarried at 24% and 26%, respectively.





Many observers have been surprised by the high rate of IR marriage in 2000. To others it affirmed their belief that Asian Americans were assimilating by marrying into the white majority. IR marriage tended to be lower in urban counties and highest in rural counties where a still significant portion of Asian Americans reside.





2004 IR Marriage Statistics





In 2004, the numbers of married contemporary U.S.-raised Asian Americans increased significantly; up 70% for males and 64% for females. The large wave of marriages over the last four years could indicate recent social changes of importance for Asian Americans. At first glance, the overall statistics do not appear to have changed significantly; the overall rate of IR marriage increased 1% for males but decreased 3% for females. However this represents a reversal of a long trend in IR marriage and is perhaps a turning point for the Asian American community.





All of the increase in the rate of male IR marriage was due to a 2% increase for the 1.5 Generation. This may not be unusual, the 1.5 Generation rate was extremely low in 2000 at 23%. For U.S.-born males the rate of IR marriage decreased 3% (from 44% to 41%) due to an increase of Pan Asian marriages which were 17% of the total (a 50% rate increase from 2000).





The female IR marriage statistic for the 1.5 Generation decreased 2% with no change in the rate of Pan Asian marriages. That is a significant decrease in IR marriages in itself. But for the U.S.-born, the rate of IR marriage decreased an astounding 9% (from 58% to 49%). The unexpected change in IR marriages among U.S.-born females was primarily due to a huge increase in Asian marriages among Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and Asian-Indian females, in that order. The most dramatic change occurred among Korean women with a 15% rate decline in IR marriages. Pan Asian marriages rose to a rate of 11% of the total (a 38% rate increase from 2000).





Asian Newlyweds Prefer Asian Spouses





Another way to analyze the changes in IR marriages would be to exclude those contemporary U.S.-raised Asian Americans who were already married in 2000 and focus solely on new marriages between 2000 and 2004. By assuming no divorces, deaths or emigrations occurred, this rough analysis reveals a greater contemporary decline in IR marriages.





For Asian males, the 90 thousand new marriages were roughly split between 1.5 Generation and U.S.-born Asian males. New IR marriages were 24% (vs. 23% in 2000) for the 1.5 Generation and 37% (vs. 44% in 2000) for the U.S.-born.





For Asian females, the 105 thousand new marriages evenly split between 1.5 Generation and U.S.-born Asian females. New IR marriages were 34% (vs. 43% in 2000) for the 1.5 Generation and 43% (vs. 58% in 2000) for the U.S.-born.





Thus, the rate of IR marriage among newlyweds is significantly lower than for those already married in 2000. Pan Asian marriages comprised 16% of the above newlywed marriages for the men and 11% for the women. In addition, the IR marriage gender disparity for newlyweds is the smallest in recent history, 10% for the 1.5 Generation and 6% for U.S.-born. The disparity was 8% overall.





Pan Asian Marriages on the Rise





Pan Asian marriages, while not uncommon, are often overlooked as a factor in Asian American marriages. Most observers have viewed the marriage choices for Asian Americans as a black or white affair or more accurately a choice between a white race individual and an Asian individual of the same ethnicity. The traditional assimilationist perspective predicts Asian Americans would marry into the majority white population for socioeconomic achievement. Otherwise Asian Americans would marry an Asian of the same ethnicity to retain cultural and ethnic ties. In short, there did not seem to be a compelling socioeconomic or cultural reason for Pan Asian marriage.





Some sociologists, including Dr. C.N. Le (www.asian-nation.org), predicted a rise in Pan Asian marriages from more subtle social factors such as heightened race consciousness, greater acculturation, and a sense of shared group identity. Dr. Le argues that as Asian Americans achieve socioeconomic success through high education and professional occupations there is greater social interaction among Asians from various ethnicities. U.S. demographics and race relations also tend to ignore ethnic distinctions and promote Asians as a single racial group in various facets of American life. (A recent example is the creation of Asian fraternities and sororities.) And as the Asian American population matures from a community that is mostly foreign born to U.S.-raised the historical animosities between Asian ethnicities become less relevant. The record numbers of Pan Asian marriages in 2004 support Dr. Le's prediction.





In 2004, Chinese males were the most popular Pan Asian husband for contemporary U.S.-raised Asian females. Chinese and Vietnamese females had the highest numbers of Pan-Asian husbands. The popularity of the Chinese as Pan Asian spouses might be due to the long history of the Chinese diaspora setting up communities in nearly every non-Chinese Asian country.





On the other hand, Japanese females were the most popular Pan Asian wife for contemporary U.S.-raised Asian males. This is somewhat surprising given the recent historical animosity most native Asians have for the Japanese and perhaps an indicator of decreasing ethnic barriers. Chinese males recorded the highest number of Pan Asian wives.





It is likely that Pan Asian marriages will remain popular. And by implication their offspring could exponentially grow the population of Asians with mixed ethnic backgrounds in years to come.





The Future of Asian Americans





Perhaps Pan Asian marriages are evidence the dynamics of U.S. race relations are eroding traditional cultural and ethnic ties (and animosities) in favor of greater racial solidarity. It is a potentially exciting development for the Asian American community. As a historical example, it was not long ago in the early 20th century that Irish, Italian and other southern European whites experienced severe discrimination in the U.S. by other whites. Today, after suffering far more intra-race wars than Asians have, white Americans have overcome their ethnic and nationalistic prejudices in part through Pan European intermarriage to create a cohesive racial identity.





The Asian American community has historically been fractured along ethnic lines. Certainly if white Americans from various European ethnicities formed a single racial identity it is likely Asian Americans will and Pan Asian marriage may be a key contributor. Hopefully, this will lead to a stronger Asian American identity and a united Asian American community with its inherent political and social implications.








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Why is interracial marriage among Asian Americans decreasing?
interracial marriages among all races have been rising and are still rising in canada especially. as well as us and europe.
Reply:I think the real answer is Yellow fever for asian females is starting to peak out. At some point supply and demand have balance out.


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Reply:there will always be white guys out there lurking to take asian women. if by asian u mean chinese. if ur talking about indian/arab then i have no clue. Report Abuse

Reply:because asians are realizing how much better everything is in asian and now that we don't need to be whitewashed and live in a melting pot....we can finally have our own culture and people and be proud of it. Why else do you think the white and black people are following asian cultures like anime? Report Abuse

Reply:Calvin: Aspects of Asian culture are popular in the US, but not all Whites and Blacks are obssess w/ your culture. I'll admit, I like the occasional K- %26amp; J-Drama and tempura, but I'm not going to pretend (nor want to be) one of you. I love my culture and ppl. Report Abuse

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Reply:dear everyone. the source of the article: www.proudasianamerican.com





It's like citing Fox News in researching the latest progressive trends. The article is likely b/s. Credible news show evidence of the opposite. Also, nice craigslist.org tag at the bottom of article, left after copying it from CL. Report Abuse


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