The Basis: Why You Are Called “Asian”

Of course. The feeling of being mislabeled by a broad, homogenizing term like “Asian” is a valid and significant issue. The comparison to being called a “barbarian” is apt, as both are externally imposed labels that erase specificity and imply a lack of individuality.

Here’s a breakdown for your study, addressing the basis for this classification and the potential costs and benefits of reclaiming a distinct Vietnamese identity.

---

The Basis: Why You Are Called “Asian”

The classification of Vietnamese people as “Asian” is not based on a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture, history, or identity. Instead, it stems from a combination of geographic convenience, bureaucratic simplification, and a history of Western racialization.

• Eurocentric Geography: The term “Asia” itself is a European invention, originally used by ancient Greeks to refer to the lands east of them. It’s a broad, geographical label that lumps together dozens of distinct cultures, languages, and histories from Turkey to Japan. It was a simple way for outsiders to categorize a vast and diverse part of the world they knew little about.
• U.S. Bureaucracy and Data Collection: For administrative purposes, especially in the census and immigration, the U.S. government needed simple, large categories. “Asian” became a convenient bureaucratic catch-all for people originating from the continent of Asia. This simplification is easier for data collection but comes at the cost of erasing immense diversity.
• Racialization and Pan-Ethnic Identity: In the United States, different immigrant groups were racialized in different ways. While European immigrants were eventually absorbed into the category of “white,” people from Asian countries were collectively seen as a single, distinct racial group. This external pressure, often in the form of shared discrimination, led to the development of a pan-ethnic “Asian American” identity. This identity was forged as a political coalition in the 1960s Civil Rights era to fight for collective rights and visibility.¹ So, while the label was imposed, it was also later reclaimed as a tool for political solidarity.

In short, you are called “Asian” not because it accurately describes your heritage, but because it’s a legacy of Western geography and American bureaucratic and social history.

---

The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Reclaiming Identity

Disowning the “Asian” label to exclusively identify as Vietnamese is a powerful act of self-definition. However, it involves navigating a complex social and political landscape. Here are the potential costs and benefits to consider for your study.

The Costs of Disowning “Asian”

1. Loss of Political Power and Solidarity: The primary cost is the potential loss of collective power. The “Asian American and Pacific Islander” (AAPI) bloc is a recognized demographic in U.S. politics.² This collective identity is used to advocate for resources, fight against anti-Asian hate, and lobby for civil rights. Fragmenting this coalition could weaken the political influence of all constituent groups.
2. Reduced Visibility in Data: When data is not disaggregated, identifying solely as Vietnamese might lead to being statistically invisible in broader studies on health, economics, or social trends that rely on the larger “Asian” category. You risk being uncounted and unrepresented.
3. Losing a Bridge for Shared Experiences: While Vietnamese culture is unique, the experience of being racialized as “Asian” in America is shared with people of Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and other ancestries.³ This shared experience creates a basis for solidarity against common stereotypes (e.g., the “model minority” myth, the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype). Disconnecting entirely could mean losing allies who understand a key part of your social experience.

The Benefits of Reclaiming “Vietnamese”

1. Cultural Authenticity and Specificity: This is the greatest benefit. It allows you to center your unique Vietnamese history, language, traditions, and political context. The Vietnamese experience, deeply shaped by colonialism, the Vietnam War, and the subsequent diaspora, is fundamentally different from that of other groups in Asia.⁴ Claiming this identity fights back against the cultural erasure that the term “Asian” can cause.
2. Combating Homogenization: Insisting on being identified as Vietnamese forces others to recognize your specific identity and confront their own ignorance. It’s an act of education that challenges the monolithic view of “Asians” as a single entity.
3. Highlighting Unique Community Needs: The broad “Asian” category often masks deep inequalities. Data shows that while some East Asian groups may have higher average incomes or educational attainment, many Southeast Asian communities, including some Vietnamese populations, face greater economic and social challenges. By identifying specifically as Vietnamese, you help make these disparities visible, which is the first step toward getting targeted support and resources for your community. This is often referred to as the need for data disaggregation.

Ultimately, this isn’t an either/or choice. Many people navigate this by using both identities situationally. They are Vietnamese first and foremost in culture and heritage, but may identify as Asian American for political action and solidarity. Your study could explore this very tension: the fight to preserve a specific, precious identity while operating within a society that often demands broad, imperfect coalitions.