Have you ever been walking down street and seen a couple of two different races? Or even seen a child that looks like they're not just one race? In 1967, the United States Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage. Since then, interracial relationships have been on the rise as people are becoming more knowledgeable and aware of the importance of culture in a growing society. However, despite the rise in acceptance of interracial relationships, mixed race relationships are still viewed with suspicion and distaste by many due to cultural differences. But is this right? Should race be a factor in love? Can it really make or break a relationship? For many, there are several key factors that come into play. For many years, the idea of race itself has been in question by sociologists who are attempting to come up with a definition for what identifies one racial group from another. In fact, the largest possible determinant has been culture. Our culture is the basis of who we are in life. It is a way of life that determines the lifestyle that is practiced within a group of people, or society. In other words, a significant concept to understand is that cultural beliefs, behaviors, values, and practices are learned from birth: first at home, then in church and other places where people assemble. Some practices and beliefs in human culture include food, music, religion, sports, and health beliefs, which symbolize the values we possess in life. Furthermore, our own culture is diverse and it is significant to look within and identify what we value the most, what is essentially needed, and how we perceive the world. It is our surviving tool and subconsciously we don’t even realize it is needed to communicate and socialize with o... ... middle of paper ... ... to back you up. Interracial couples need to use more energy and imagination to balance and celebrate two cultures. They must be strong enough to endure the stares, tough enough to keep working at their cultural differences and self-assured enough to raise confident children. In conclusion, the number of interracial couples and marriages occurring each year is increasing. It is awry and unfair to judge someone by the color of their skin and to limit the people of America to their race, and only their race. The Constitution states that all men are created equal, so who is to decide who one can and cannot associate themselves with? No matter our race, where we are from, or what religion we practice, we should all be able to do what makes us happy and be with who makes us happy. In the end, it is you who must be content with the lifestyle you have chosen to live.
At this point, interracial marriages aren't frowned upon au contraire, it is accepted in society and set as a goal for some. Many offspring of the black diaspora are open to the idea of interracial marriages, however, for the ones who were raised in the traditionalist manner, the subject may not be an option.
Roxane Gay’s essay “The Importance of Feeling Seen: Why Interracial Families on Commercial Matter” is about why interracial families on commercials matter. It’s about how other people do not like seeing two different races together. It talks about how back in the day we hardly had any interracial families, and that if we did they were frowned upon. They would say mean and angry comments about their families being an interracial relationship. It talks about how even now we still need to change our views on interracial families that we are still judging people them for being in a mixed family.
To be or not to be? Once again this is the question. In the past, social scientist and society in general, categorized people involved in interracial romances as disturbed, or they labeled these relationships as acts of rebellion, or attempts to move up on the social ladder (Majete 2000, 1). Today this no longer seems to be the case. However, this can still be quite controversial. Part of the reason for this controversy begins with the fact that there were laws barring intermarriage between persons of color and whites in forty of our fifty states until 1967, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that these laws were unconstitutional. Once this law was lifted the number on interracial marriages continually began to increase. After the desegregation in the 1970’s colored and whites were able to attend school, work, and general activities together. This allowed everyone to get to know each other and eventually to begin to marry.
Others believe that interracial relationships lead to the acceptance of a colorblind ideology. A colorblind ideology is one that ignores racism, microaggressions, and institutionalized white privilege; it includes the denial of racial differences and racial systematic status. Vanessa Gonlin and Mary E. Campbell argue that minorities in interracial relationships are more likely to adopt colorblind ideologies. They are claiming that the individual will begin to minimize racism, microaggressions, and white privilege. The authors state that an increased amount of friendly and welcomed contact with someone of another race changes our beliefs as well as values. This is particularly true for interracial relationships because of the intimacy of a partnership.
Many would agree that segregation is no longer a pressing issue. Although it has been outlawed since 1954, society still implements a similar mindset, especially directed towards interracial dating. Some still believe that people of different races should not form relationships, while others deem it as acceptable. The following researchers use methods like surveys and interviews to analyze the connections between societal judgment and involvement in such relationships. Each study, providing slightly more insight than the previous, suggests the fear of social conflict creates skepticism towards mixed relations.
Particularly since, even presently, large portions of people remain strongly opposed to interracial relationships even being permitted by law. According to the Gallup poll, only 77 percent of people in the United States approve of marriage between whites and African Americans (Field, Kimuna, and Straus 2013, p.744). This statistic indicates that a large percent of Americans are still ignorant to the belief that people should be free to marry whom they chose, and leads to the continuing of negative notions about interracial relationships. Even the thought of how parents would react to an interracial pairing for their child is frequently negative corresponding to; Field, Kimuna, and Straus (2013) stating that a clear racial difference is apparent, with white and black unions being viewed as the most unfavorable racial pairing by parents (p. 764). This perception is clear, despite the students surveyed having a consistently more positive view of all types of interracial dating. The fear of parental rejection can hold many people back from having the relationship they desire. On the other hand another perception of interracial relationships is the conviction that many individuals are
The literature focuses on the experiences of the interracial couple. The literature focus in-depth on black men and white women unions. This looks at societal, economic and political responses the couple have received. This seeks to explain how the couple copes with a relationship which is perceived as taboo, in order to emphasise how love can be colour blind. For example, Brown (1992) book, ‘The Colour of Love’ interviewed a number of interracial couples in Britain. The author acknowledges the racial history between blacks and whites in Britain, and explores how this affects the couple’s experiences from the two communities. However, studies tend to over represent black men and white women relationships, this neglects black women from the discourse. Black women’s attitudes and experiences are ignored and often are being constructed by black men and white women. These couples, emphasise how black women react to black men and white women in relationships, often depicting black women as ‘angry’ and oppositional. However, the studies fail to explore the attitudes of black women. This produces a bias exploration of interracial relationships since black women
When it comes to interracial relationship society still stereotype interracial relationship as controversial based on social, media, personal experiences and political issues. From the book Love's Revolution: Interracial Marriage and Black Women in Interracial Relationships: In Search of Love and Solace, some of the stereotype are people in interracial relationship never date their own race, they hate their self, interracial relationship are still rare, interracial couples are together for reasons other than love, they have the same experience in public as any other couple, friends and family, and lastly interracial relationship means a relationship between a black person and a white person.
Society could attempt to carry on some of these values, which could lead to better cohesion between racial groups. With a lot of racial tension in today’s world there should be an effort to improve things, so we don’t have groups of people hating each other because the color one’s skin. This topic is socially and culturally relevant, because it is related to the social makeup of individuals along with the aspects of their culture that influence there viewpoints. Each culture views things slightly different, and it would be beneficial to gain knowledge and create a less race charged world. This subject is relevant to the larger public for a few reasons. Firstly, there is a stigma towards interracial dating because in large part it is seen as “selling out” to your own race. If informed that this isn’t a betrayal it can lead to greater acceptance, and ultimately more bonds between
As I grew older I learned that I lived in a very diverse world. That there are many different cultures that live in the United States; even though we may look different we might still share the same likes and dislikes. That having a interracial relationship was just not something that was done. Things have changed that now there are many interracial couples, myself included living in America and living life. Along with the change of accepting interracial relationships; we are now have become more acceptable to same sex marriages. Growing up in American it was a struggle for others to accept the person that I was in love with because he was Mexican and I am Caucasian. It took a while for culture to change and realize that it was okay to have an interracial relationship and families. I have experienced that living in America gives me the freedom to be who I want to be and to be with who I want to be with. As this was not the case before, but things have changed and I am very grateful for
Some People might think that violence against interracial couples in the U.S. doesn’t exist,however it does exist, they just choose not to acknowledge it.People think that just because the couples don’t have the same skin color that it’s wrong for them to be together ,.Although interracial couples are now legal in the U.S. , many secret interracial relationships can now come out, however these couple still face unexpected violence.
In conclusion, society needs to consider the feelings of interracial couples. A person may not agree with interracial relationships, but they do not need to discriminate against them. Even today in the year 2002, society has its problems with interracial relationships. Through education and the way couples raise their children, the problem or problems facing interracial couples will diminish.
In the city of Hagerstown, I’ve noticed there are a lot of interracial couples with mixed children. Now, while this may not bother me, I have noticed comments from friends, who say they are accepting of this, but still make comments that leaves one to wonder. I can’t understand why this is still considered to be taboo or unacceptable. Actually, I’m a little jealous, because to me, they seem to have some of the prettiest children. Anyway, I think if two people find a way towards each other’s hearts and find love, it shouldn’t make a bit of difference, or people shouldn’t look sideways at them or make smart remarks about the couple or their children. At the end of the day I see it like this, we may not all be interracially mixed but we are mixed in some way be it culturally or whatever. My Italian friends complain about Irish blood, my Puerto Rican friend complain about being mixed with Mexican blood, etc. I think we all need to get over it and move on to worry about more important issues in this country.
Although, interracial marriage is more common than ever; there are many opposing views of this unification. Situations that I have been faced with growing up African American and now in an interracial marriage, leaves me worried for my future children. Bringing a multiracial child in the world is difficult because they will be judged solely on their racial identity. Multiracial children will be giving a hard choice to choose who they will identify with so that society accepts them. The problem we face in todays society is our need to categorize people. In mixed-race people lives they are constantly feeling the pressure to identify with one group or the other. Most times they have their sense of identity or belonging dismissed by the groups
Regardless of the years to come interracial marriage will continue growing. It will not always have a positive effect on families, children, and societies. There will be adversity in interracial marriages because of the ignorance that will still exist because everyone will not be on the same page. It is the duty of everyone to try and play a role in helping to uplift society. Everyone is capable of doing this, but in order for succession we must act and be loud with our actions. Only then the ignorance will start to disappear and succession of interracial marriages will start to be looked at as a norm.