UK Asians prefer their own kind of race

Young Britons of South Asian origin have very traditional opinions on issues like homosexuality and mixed marriages, a survey has revealed.

Nearly half of young Britons of South Asian background aged between 16 and 34 years would only marry someone of their own race. Leave marriage, nearly half of them would not even consider dating a white person and over half of them would not consider dating a black person.

The survey, commissioned by BBC's Asian Network as part of an Asian Nation season, was designed to gain an insight into the mindset of UK Asians those identifying themselves as from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan backgrounds.

The survey by ICM reveals that 44 per cent of Britons of South Asian background would only marry someone from the same race, compared to just 9 per cent of white respondents.

The survey has revealed markedly different attitudes, shaped by their cultural identity, to friends and relationships of Britons of South Asian background as compared to their white counterparts.

A staggering 87 per cent of white people would consider a mixed race marriage, according to the survey. However, just 53 per cent of the Asians felt the same.

Cultural identity seems to have spilled to relationships for British Asians. Fifty three percent of them would consider dating someone who is white and 44 per cent would consider dating someone who is black. In reverse, 44 per cent of Asians would not consider dating a white person and 53 per cent would not consider dating a black person.

Young white people are more liberal about multicultural relationships as 83 per cent of them would consider dating a black person, Homosexuality, due to South Asian cultural taboos, is frowned upon by Britons of South Asian origin. Forty-four per cent of young South Asians think homosexuality is immoral as compared to 8 per cent of young white people.

Young Britons of South Asian background, however, have a more liberal attitude in friendship. Only 31 per cent have all or most of their friends of their own race as compared to 69 per cent of white people, according to the survey.