Why Some Asians Don’t Outright Express Romantic Affection

For some Asians, showing physical affection and love doesn’t come easy.

For some stereotypical Asians, expressing intimacy like holding hands, hugging and kissing feels hard and is both unnatural and uneasy.

Different people show love differently. Some people show love through open physical affection. Others don’t openly show love and show love through non-physical affection instead, which is what many Asians prefer.

Love and physical affection may or may not go hand-in-hand in harmony | Weekly Photo Challenge: Harmony.

Love and physical affection may or may not go hand-in-hand in harmony | Weekly Photo Challenge: Harmony.

All throughout school in Malaysia and Singapore, my Chinese-Malaysian parents wagged the finger at dating and romantic escapades. Physical contact with any classmate whom I fancied was frowned upon.

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Why Asians Don’t Say “I Love You” To Their Parents

“I love you, mom, dad.”

That’s something we hear children and adults alike say to their parents in movies and TV shows. And in everyday life, of course.

Love is something that I will always treasure. Love locks on Southbank footbridge. | Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure.

Love is something that I will always treasure. Love locks on Southbank footbridge. | Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure.

But funnily enough, be it in reality or the fictional worlds, the phrase of affection “I love you” is rarely uttered by Asians to their parents, whether in English or in their mother tongue.

I’m admittedly one of these Asians. Never once have I said “I love you” to the folks face-to-face or even over the phone. To me, it’s a strange thing to do.

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