Interracial Marriage: Meaning in Society

Interracial Marriage Interracial marriages have been a growing issue in our society. Some think that interracial marriages and relationships are socially wrong. Some believe that it harms children of mixed races because of the stares, discrimination, and being criticized. One should not have to feel the pain from being stared at or criticized, or discriminated against because of the color of skin or being with the one they love of a different race. The marriages and relationships that are interracial have multiplied within the past century. It is hard to believe that there used to be laws that banned interracial marriages.

In years to come, interracial marriages and relationships will probably only become accepted in the world. Although laws have changed, interracial dating and marriages are still a controversial issue. In the past, fear and mistrust of such unions were more openly criticized, but in today’s culture where political correctness is more of a concern, people tend to hide their discrimination. Interracial marriages have become more socially accepted. However, some think it is completely wrong and that one should marry within their own race. Interracial marriages were illegal until the Supreme Court made them legal on June 12, 1967(Head).

One could have been imprisoned for mating outside of white race. Laws against interracial marriages were overturned because they were ruled unconstitutional. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, black and white marriages increased from 65,000 in 1970 to 422,000 in 2005(U. S Census Bureau). In America today 35 percent of Americans have a family member or close relatives in a different race relationship (Talbot). Interracial marriages have become more common as the years have gone by, but there are still plenty of problems that people have with interracial marriages.

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Religious beliefs make some people think that interracial marriage is sinful and unbiblical. Black men marry outside their race at a far higher rate than black women. The opposite is true of Asians; women marry outside the race at a higher rate than Asian men. Hipics and Asians are the top ranking intermarriages. Blacks and Hipics who marry outside of their race are most likely to receive college degrees, and make the most income out of diverse groups of marriage (Maxwell). Many interracial marriages face problems of racism. Couples in interracial relationships tend to face stares, criticism, and discrimination in housing.

They also have a harder time when trying to find a job. People against interracial marriages believe that they corrupt cultures and ethics. Numerous people still believe that interracial marriages are unacceptable and should be made illegal again. Based on The Huffington Post an online reading site, many mixed-raced couples in the South are still struggling to feel safe and be accepted in their communities (Lai). There are potential pitfalls in any marriage whether the couple is interracial or not but there have been some common trouble spots that interracial couples have identified in their marriages.

Some of the common trouble spots include: values, eating habits, sex, gender roles, friends, in-laws, and raising children. Some of these issues overlap, but there are some specific distinctions between each. Although these are potential trouble spots for any type of marriage, the degree to which they affect interracial marriages is greater. Mixed race children are at risk for identity crisis such as, not knowing who is accepting of their race or what crowd to hang out with is a struggle for many mixed-race children in today’s society.

Mixed-race children face not being accepted by both races that they are but instead a stranger in both worlds. For instance, if a child is mixed with White and Hipic they may not speak Spanish so they do not fit in with many Hipics. This could be the case with other races as well. There is still too much racism in the world! For a mixed-race child this can be more difficult because they want to be accepted by each race they are a part of, and yet in many situations they stand apart from both.

Depending on the location this could be more of an issue than other places. If the location is in an area where there is not a lot of diversity it would be much harder than big cities where there is a huge diverse population. Children normally do not know how to handle racism so it is much worse on them than it is on the adults that deal with it, because children do not get to choose their race. Racial identity, a product of racial prejudice, is something these kids have to deal with.

Everyone is equal and should have the same rights; however this is not the case in today’s world. One benefit being in an interracial marriage is the opportunity to explore another culture. Mixed-race children tend to be healthier due to an increase in genetic diversity. The children have an opportunity to learn about two entirely different cultures, which in turn can make a difference in their everyday knowledge. According to The New York Times interracial couples are more likely to live in the West because concentration of immigrant minority groups there (Saulny).

The fear and prejudices of the older generations have given way and have made young people believe that they has the right to marry anyone if they’re in love with each other. Some people have not accepted the fact that race should not be an issue in marriages or relationships. In today’s society there are always going to be people who don’t agree with the things that people do in their everyday lives. In the world today the younger generation tends to have more friends of different ethnic or racial groups. They are also more willing to be in relationship with a different race.

Television has a big effect on the younger generation, with movies that make interracial interaction seem to be normal and not something wrong to do. Acceptance is not only difficult in our families but many members of our own cultures tend to offer some of the most damaging opinions. The main problem among interracial marriages is not: their history, their race, their marriage, or their children, the problem is society. Having difficulties in interracial marriages makes the marriage hard, but a strong willed couple who has faith in their love for each other can overcome many of the obstacles they face.

Not fitting in because of the person one plans to spend the rest of their life with can be hard, but also knowing how certain people or establishments are, are a definite eye opener to seeing how many small minded people there are in the world. Nobody should have to be worried about if the person they choose to fall in love with or laws that could separate them. The children of interracial marriages will eventually blend with the other children of mono-racial families. Works Cited Head, Tom. "Interracial Marriage Laws History. About. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. <http://www. civilliberty. about. com/od/raceequalopportunity/tp/interracial-marriage-laws-history-timeline. html>. "Interracial Tables. " U. S Census Bureau. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. Lai, Jennifer. "Interracial Marriage. " Huffington Post 3 Nov. 2012: n. pag. Print. Maxwell, Lesli A. "Marriages across Racial Ethnic Lines on Rise. " Education Week 16 Feb. 2012: n. pag. Print. Saulny, Susan. "Interracial Marriage Seen Gaining Wide Acceptance. " New York

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