Chinese Transracial Adoptees’ Experiences with Discrimination

Abstract

Many transracial adoptees in the United States face challenges as they live and develop in a society with a racial hierarchy in which “White” is perceived to be normal, White privilege is often unacknowledged, and adoption remains far from mainstream. This study explored the lived experience of six Chinese transracial adoptees adopted by White parents and the ways in which they dealt with racial, cultural and adoption-related discrimination. Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews revealed that participants used a variety of coping strategies to address racial, cultural, and adoption-related microaggressions enacted by peers, extended family, and authority figures. Implications of Chinese transracial adoptees’ experiences of discrimination are discussed.