American-born confused desi

American Born Confused Desi (A.B.C.D.) is a term referring to a modern South Asian American youth who is unsure of his or her cultural identity. It is similar to the term Jook-sing or "A.B.C." for American-born Chinese.

The phrase sometimes has negative connotations and can be considered an ethnic slur, but among many Indian American, Pakistani American and other Desi youth it is used humorously.

Many modern day South Asian Americans have very strong ties to India or Pakistan. They frequently visit friends and family in their ancestors' native land. Most usually cherish their Indian heritage, and observe both American and Indian cultural traditions. The typical American Born Indian is fluent or semi-fluent in an Indian language in addition to English, and understands both the American cultural value system and the Indian cultural value system. Many integrate into American society more easily than Indian-born immigrants. Some South Asian Americans are ultra traditional in their cultural ways and even extremely religious while others consciously abandon everything Indian and adopt (white or black) American culture completely. Hence the "C" in ABCD.

The confused generation is not able to blend in with their American counterparts, especially if they are vegetarian, or if their family has conservative values with respect to something as simple as dress code or hairdo, to something more complicated as religious rites and family traditions. However, many families are able to balance this and alleviate the confusion to an extent.

This is done by continuing the basic family traditions, creating an atmosphere of a typical Pakistani or Indian home filled with traditional values, and at the same time involving the children in both South Asian as well as the American communities. A child could attend "Bal-Vihar" which is an Desi-community-based program that instills Hindu values, as well as attend Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts that bring out the American sense of independence in them. Most children of the next generation have already adapted to an extent; they have a special 'Desi' accent that they use while talking to their parents, and a more 'Americanized' accent for their fellow American friends. They might then be called an "American Born Camouflaged Desi." Other variations include "Andhra Born Crazy Desi" generally referred to desis from the state of Andhra Pradesh.

"ABCD" is the most common version of the phrase, but there are variations of it that extend all the way to the letter "Z" in at least two different versions: "American Born Confused Desi, Emigrated From Gujarat, House in Jersey, Kids Learning Medicine, Now Owning Property, Quite Reasonable Salary, Two Uncles Visiting, White Xenophobia Yet Zestful" and "American Born Confused Desi, Emigrated From Gujarat, Housed In Jersey, Keeping Lotsa Motels, Named Omkarnath Patel, Quickly Reached Success Through Underhanded Vicious Ways, Xenophobic Yet Zestful".

ABCD was the title of a 1999 U.S.–made movie about the cultural struggles of a young American of Indian ancestry. The term is also used in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "World's Fair", about the death of a young second generation Pakistani-American woman and her Italian American boyfriend.

Notes and references

• Hoque, Maher. "A Former Coconut's Guide to Getting Cultured". Fall 2006. Sapna Magazine Online. Accessed 11 January 2007.