Asian Americans’ Lived Experiences with and Perceptions of Social Stigma during COVID-19

Abstract It has been well documented that Asian Americans have experienced increased social stigmatization related to COVID-19 since Donald Trump began referring to the virus as the “Chinese virus” and “kung flu” in March 2020. Stigma has negative social and health impacts on minority communities, such as labeling, avoiding, shame, disgust, and social exclusion. The health impacts include both physical and mental illness, and the acceleration of health disparities. This study seeks to understand these lived experiences and subsequent coping strategies. Using focus groups, 17 Asian American participants were interviewed to understand their experiences with stigmatization during the pandemic. The findings reveal that stigmatized behavior and attitudes of others did not deter Asian Americans from following the COVID-19 related health guidelines, likely because perceived health threats were high. Consumer behaviors of Asian Americans also changed dramatically toward buying almost everything online (due to both the pandemic and personal safety). This behavioral decisioning provides insights into the complex motivations for adopting health behaviors, and, in this case, social distancing can double as a means by which to avoid people, for fear of becoming victims of stigmatization in public areas.