Back in 1967, Richard and Mildred Loving’s groundbreaking case against Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws transformed the future of interracial relationships in America. At the time, only 3% of newlyweds were intermarried according to Pew Research Center studies. Over the past 53 years, intermarriage rates have steadily increased to nearly 17%. So, what changed? Well, American attitudes changed significantly as more couples intermarried. Although acceptance of interracial relationships is diverse among racial and ethnic groups, interracial relationships are becoming more prevalent in our society.
Jamie Rodriguez, a Hispanic undergraduate at The University of Georgia, recalls a time when she was in an interracial relationship. While having dinner at her boyfriend’s house, corn on the cob became an interesting cultural discussion. “What I didn’t know is that they ate corn on the cob with just butter. You see, in my culture, we add mayo and chili powder,” she said. Curious about the addition of butter, she asked, “What does that taste like?” Her boyfriend’s family was surprised that she never had corn with butter. She explained how she eats corn with mayo and chili powder. They were surprised. “I remember trying it but I don’t remember if I liked it or not,” she exclaimed. “There were obviously cultural differences.”
However, Rodriguez remains open-minded towards interracial relationships. “I interact daily with others who are not of my ethnic background, so I understand what it is like to be introduced to something that is not normal for someone else.” Although this relationship was a positive experience, Rodriguez has faced relationship challenges. She said, “I have been in situations where my boyfriend at the time wasn’t so understanding, often criticizing and judging before trying something- but this doesn’t necessarily pertain to just cultural differences. Just issues that arise in relationships.”
Now, there is still uneasiness when it comes to talking about interracial relationships. Yet, some popular movies have opened up the discussion. Do you remember Guess Who? The 2005 film starred A-list actors: Zoe Saldana, Ashton Kutcher, and Bernie Mac. In this film, Saldana’s character brings home her new white boyfriend (played by Kutcher) to announce their engagement. This light-hearted romantic comedy sparks initial discussions about family reactions to interracial marriage. More recently, Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017) emphasizes society’s fears about interracial relationships. In this horror film, a black man visits his white girlfriend’s family and experiences dark truths. Shedding light on the historic tension between blacks and whites, this film portrays the challenges of interracial relationships.
From movies to television, the increasing inclusion of interracial relationships in American media reflects its diffusion among society. Have you seen Keeping Up with the Kardashians? This popular reality TV show gives insight into the life of a famous interracial couple, Kim Kardashian-West and Kanye West. Not only Kim, but her sisters Khloe and Kylie have also been publicized in multiple interracial relationships. Now, relationships between black men and white women are becoming more acceptable. In addition, long-term reality TV show, The Bachelorette, has made history with Rachel Lindsay Abasolo. As the first African-American bachelorette, she discovered her new husband, Bryan Abasolo. This interracial couple are becoming relationship goals for Bachelor Nation fans across the country.
How exactly does the public feel about interracial relationships? Well, The Pew Research Center found that 4 in 10 Americans believe that intermarriage is good for society. While older people are more likely to be opposed to intermarriage, younger people are becoming more accepting of intermarriages. In addition, Americans are less opposed to close relatives being involved in intermarriages. While the percentages are still relatively low, they have significantly increased since 1967.
Rodriguez thinks public opinion on interracial relationships is mixed. “There are usually two groups of people- those who are for it and those who are against it. There will be times that I’ll see people in full support of interracial relationships. However, more recently and frequently, I’ve seen people bash and frown upon interracial relationships and wishing them the opposite of good luck. They’re rooting for that relationship to fail, which is very sad, ” she said.
She has a point. Even though interracial relationships are becoming more widespread, racial inequality and discrimination keeps some racial and ethnic groups from partaking in them. Studies from the Pew Research Center show that blacks are more likely than whites to be opposed to interracial marriages. Also, 14% of non-blacks are opposed to close relatives marrying a black person.
Marcus McCoy, a black graduate student at Coastal Carolina University, has no interest in dating outside of his race. He said, “I’ve only been attracted to black queens.” Yet, he is not solely against other people being in interracial relationships. “I have no real objections against the concept. As long as the two people in the relationship don’t use the stereotypes or myths of any race to justify being in a relationship with someone of a different race than themselves. For example, a non-black person saying they date black people because of a particular stereotype associated with the black race or even a degrading stereotype of their own race is unacceptable in my opinion,” he exclaimed.
This is an indication of another important issue when it comes to interracial relationships: social mobility. An increase in interracial marriages is the result of changes in social status for minorities. For instance, schools and workplaces are more culturally diverse than in past decades. Also, income gaps have decreased allowing minorities to live in predominantly white areas. The cohabitation of ethnic and racial minorities with whites in metropolitan areas has provided opportunities for interracial couples. Pew Research trends indicate that population sizes of racial and ethnic groups also contribute to growth in interracial marriages. As minorities have smaller numbers of spouses to choose from, they seek to find partners outside of their race. In fact, Asians and Hispanics are more likely to marry outside of their race. Additional Pew Research trends show that people with college degrees are more likely to intermarry. Hence, intermarriages are more prevalent because social mobility for minority groups has increased.
Public opinion plays a role in whether someone chooses to accept interracial relationships or not. Briana Collins, a black undergraduate at The University of Georgia, believes it was more taboo to be seen in an interracial relationship. Now, she said, “I always said that I would never date outside my race. However, that was a very ignorant thing to say, as more and more people are choosing to expand their dating circle.” As societal views on intermarriages continue to change, there could be a greater prevalence of them in America. Collins has no experience with interracial dating, but her brother was in a long-term interracial relationship. “Now I’m completely open to the idea of dating outside of my race. College has opened my eyes and shown me that one or two people are not representative of an entire race. As a result, I shouldn’t close myself off to finding a potential partner just because we are of different races,” she exclaimed.
Despite seeing growth in perceptions on interracial relationships, some people are still apprehensive about them. Alexis Howard, a Public Health undergraduate at Georgia Southern University, is alright with other people having interracial relationships. Yet, she would not date outside her race. “I feel that the other race wouldn’t be able to relate to me or anything I would have gone through or have gone through,” she said. Again, cultural differences are the defining factor when it comes to interracial relationships. People are more likely to be in relationships where they share common interests. However, Howard does see growth in interracial relationships. “I think that more people are starting to accept interracial relationships and it’s starting to become a new norm in our society,” she said.
In agreement, Collins also believes that public opinion on interracial relationships is slowly changing. “With more and more celebrities being seen in these relationships, society has been quicker to accept and follow in their footsteps,” she said. Similarly, Rodriguez said, “I feel like they are more widely seen. You can see them out in public spaces like stores or in pictures/videos on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. However, it obviously doesn’t reach the level of non racial relationships.” Aside from the Kardashians, ordinary people are using social media and YouTube to showcase their interracial relationships. For instance, popular YouTube couples such as Hunter and Tara, Jori and Evan, and Will and Olivia use their platforms to speak about the challenges of being an interracial couple. Their channels receive large supporters showing that interracial couples are becoming more accepted in society today. “Although times have changed for the better, I do think it is still hard to be in an interracial relationship,” Collins said.
Additionally, Mccoy said, “They’re changing from decades ago, but I doubt it becomes fully acceptable amongst all people.” He makes a good point. There is still room for improvement in racial inequality before interracial relationships can be fully acceptable. Yet, research shows that society is on the right track.
Since 1967, Richard and Mildred Loving’s case has changed America’s attitude towards accepting interracial relationships. In fact, Loving is a 2016 film made about the historic case. Although interracial relationships are not as common as they should be, they have grown significantly and will continue to rise in the coming years.
Source List
Briana Collins, Undergraduate Nutritional Sciences Major at The University of Georgia.
Alexis Howard, Public Health, Georgia Southern University.
Marcus McCoy, M.S in Sport Management, Coastal Carolina University.
Jamie Rodriguez, B.S. in Chemistry and Psychology, UGA.
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