In the 2020 US Census, Sikhs will be counted as a separate ethnic group for the first time. According to experts, the move could provide ammunition to Sikh separatists. On the other hand, some argue that there is no cause for concern and that counting will help Sikhs become less "invisible" in the context of US government policies.
The Census Bureau will count Sikhs as a "distinct" ethnic group for the first time in US history. People from India who are generally known as Indian-Americans have taken this step toward establishing a distinct identity away from the composite category of "Asian Indian."
A long campaign of struggle
For more than a decade, Sikh community activists have advocated for an accurate census to better serve their members, access federal funds, and engage their political representatives. The most important reason for this campaign was to protect Sikhs from hate crimes following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The United Sikhs said in a submission to the US Census Bureau that allowing Sikhs to self-identify would contribute significantly to addressing bullying and hate crimes against the Sikh community.
After 9/11, Sikh community leaders have made a conscious and discernible effort to create a separate identity in the US, raising awareness while delicately distinguishing themselves from Muslim Americans. Sikh spokesmen have gone to great lengths to insist Sikhism is completely distinct from Hinduism.
Fruit of the Campaign, A long struggle
The Sikh community, who were among the first immigrants from India to reach American soil more than 120 years ago, see the Census Bureau's decision as a huge victory. They had to deal with constant discrimination as they attempted to establish themselves as farmers in the beginning. Sikhs have long battled because they were seen as Hindus by immigration officials and denied citizenship along with other migrants.
The Sikhs have suffered the brunt of hate crimes and bias crimes since the tragedy of 9/11. Across the nation, Sikh children are bullied twice as often as the national average, according to Gundeep Singh, media coordinator for the United Sikhs. Sikh Coalition, an organization striving to raise awareness, reported 300 incidents of hate crimes in the months following the attacks on September 11, 2001, by al-Qaeda.
As the Sikh community has suffered disproportionately from backlash, hate crimes, and bullying for a long time, such a step has been welcomed by Sikhs from all over the world. According to United Sikhs, studies estimate that at least half of them have been bullied, harassed, or even assaulted at some time in their lives because of bigotry and xenophobia. Sikhs have a distinct unified appearance, culture, language (Gurmukhi), food, and history so they meet the criteria for representation in the Census as a distinct ethnic group.
This announcement is a milestone for America’s Sikh Community and will not only prevent hate crimes against the Sikh community but will also help the world better understand who Sikhs are and their contribution to humanity.
US Census 2020: The U.S. Census Bureau made considerable updates to the race and ethnicity code list for the 2020 Census based on extensive research and outreach over the past decade. “Sikhs” were included as a distinct detailed population group within the “Asian” racial category, and not classified as “Asian Indian” as it was in the 2010 Census when it was viewed as a religious response. Census Bureau officials said they consider Sikhism a “cultural” or “ethno-religious” identity.
*Based on an article Published 04th May 2017 in The New Indian Express