ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Sociol.
Sec. Race and Ethnicity
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2025.1615777
Navigating Identity: The Experiences of Chinese Women Adopted into Families
Provisionally accepted
- Syracuse University, Syracuse, United States
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
IntroductionThis qualitative study explores the experiences of 12 Chinese women, aged 18–22, adopted by White families in the United States. While China’s one-child policy led to the international adoption of thousands of Chinese girls (1979–2015), qualitative research on their perspective about their adoption and cultural identity remains limited. Adoption is often misunderstood and stigmatized, particularly regarding its lasting impact. This study uses the intersectionality theoretical framework to understand the unique experiences of being Asian and adopted. Methods12 participants took part in 60–90-minute semi-structured interviews conducted in person or via Zoom. 17 questions explored topics such as feelings about adoption, identity, and experiences with racism. Narrative and thematic content analysis were used to interpret the data.ResultsAll participants expressed gratitude for being adopted but many felt embarrassed and uncomfortable discussing adoption, especially in childhood. Their environments shaped how they navigated identity—those in less diverse areas felt especially alienated. Many identified more with White culture than Asian culture. Most felt a stronger connection to White culture than to their Asian heritage and faced challenges being fully accepted by either White or culturally Asian peer groups. Every participant recounted instances of racism or being subjected to stereotypes.DiscussionFindings emphasize the importance of awareness and support from families, peers, and professionals. Social workers should consider adoptees’ cultural identity and emotional experiences in assessments and therapy. Educating adoptive families and partners on racial and cultural dynamics can reduce isolation and strengthen support for transracial adoptees.Keywords: Adoption, cultural identity, Whitewash, racism, adoption stigma
Keywords: Adoption, Cultural identity, Whitewash, Racism, adoption stigma
Received: 21 Apr 2025; Accepted: 16 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Neider, Wang and Guan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Eve Neider, Syracuse University, Syracuse, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.