Born and raised Asian, engraved in my mind will always be the values and beliefs of the culture. In the internet age, being exposed to the views and beliefs of people all over the world, it can be seen that there is a clear difference in Asian culture. Though there are many stereotypes regarding Asian parenting, traditional views and an ‘old-fashioned’ conservative mindset may negatively affect the younger generation as the world around us continues to evolve. The older Asian generation is generally less accepting of the problem of today’s youth, discrediting and disregarding the issues we face.

As time goes on and the world continues to change, views and beliefs eventually change. What was seen as taboo in older times may be seen as a perfectly acceptable topic of discussion nowadays. Rules and social norms made many years ago may differ now, making the conservative mindset that is still followed by more traditional parents harmful to the youth with a different mindset.

In traditional Asian culture, the older generation is less open-minded, believing in old customs, traditions, and being more conservative. When it comes to certain things, such as mental illnesses, sexuality, gender identity, PDA, and many others, there is a stigma and taboo in talking about these topics to the older generation, such as parents and grandparents.

Firstly, there has been a rise in mental illnesses, and mental health issues, which is a negative effect of the pandemic. Mental health issues come with talking to someone, even a therapist, for help. It is a stigma in Asian culture to talk about mental health and illnesses, where most people have said their parents ‘do not believe’ in mental illnesses. Oftentimes, it is said that people are not able to get the help they need as the older generation does not believe in these illnesses, even going as far as to say their children are faking it. Honour, filial piety, resilience, and reputation are values highly integrated into Asian culture, making it difficult to open up about mental health when the culture is so unaccepting. A common thing in Asian culture is that an action or thing will ‘bring shame to the family’, which is also a factor contributing to the stigma of talking about mental health.

Secondly, it is very evident that Asian culture is not accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. Only two countries, Taiwan and Thailand, have legalized same-sex marriage in Asia. The intolerence and unacceptance from parents and grandparents may negatively affect those part of the community, affecting their mental health. With this also comes an issue with gender identity, the same problem that elder Asians have a hard time coming to terms with and accepting.

It could be said that many of these issues stem from generational trauma passed on from generation to generation. A study by the Southeast Asian Subcommittee of the Asian American/Pacific Islander Work Group found that 70% of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health treatment met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. From the stress and pressure put on by parents, with the added stress of conservative parents not accepting something that is a part of you, this can be a more significant issue in the future.

Of course, with the negatives of the culture come positives. Asian culture is one of the most respectful cultures, where people always respect their elders, take off their shoes before entering the house, and generally behave respectfully. Asian values are generally more socially conservative, but there is no reason to keep it this way with the changing world. With this, I hope the older generation of Asians tries to be slightly more open-minded for the good of the Asian youth.

Asian Culture and Stigma Surrounding Current Issues

Sources

InSight Scoop