Interracial Marriage Essay

sundry(a) spousals occurs between two people from dampen racial backgrounds. As a general note African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans ar far less numerous than whites, and in that respectfore have less opportunities to meet one another. Most sundry(a) unitings, therefore, involve whites, who constitute the volume of the population (Qian, 1999, p. 579).Throughout history miscellaneous marriage has not been recognized in the United States as a valid marriage. One ancestor that has been pervasive in U. S. history and literature and that has been accompanied by a 300-year-long tradition of legislation, jurisdiction, protest, and defiance is the deep concern about, and the attempt to prohibit, contain, or deny, the presence of black-white motley sexual relations, assorted marriage, racial descent, and other family relations crossways the powerful black-white divide (Sollors, 2000, p. 3). Interracial couplets have been scrutinized, judged, and looked down upon plainly for kind someone with a different skin color.In the not so distant past a complicated ara defined each by the racial difference of bride and groom was designated where family founding was considered null and void, and children of interraciall(a)y married couples were deemed illegitimate(Sollors, 2000, p. 3). In recent years the interracial couple has been more accepted by conjunction. Despite this acceptance there is a number of issues interracial marriages face. Re think the structure of the interracial marriage will swear out us gain an understanding of interracial marriage.While, in 1970, 0. 7 part of all marriages in the continental United States were interracial, today 2 percent of all Americans marry outside their dry wash The number of change integrity-race births have gravid 26 times faster than all U. S. births (Korgen, 1998, p. 1). Interracial couples have a variety of backgrounds and there is not a conclusive theory that suggests why people enter into interracial relationships. The basic explanation for entering an interracial relationship is physical attraction and comfortableness.Research has found Most biracial couples say that they became attracted to each other because of compatibility (Socha & Diggs, 1999, p. 150). Interracial couples and families expand over all socioeconomic classes. Unfortunately, most (interracial) couples have experienced some form of racial discrimination during their relationship(McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 106). With the exception of racial discrimination There has been very little write on the interracial family, and nothing regarding the interracial family contextualized in leisure indoors the leisure literature.As the number of interracial marriages join ons, it will become increasingly important to understand the needs of these families (Hibbler & Shinew, 2002). Culture throughout interracial families is sublime by each individual couple. In general, one of the major issues fo r interracial families is attaining, preserving, and explaining the cultural heritage to their children(McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 65). Studies have found that typically one husbandry has a stronger influence on the interracial couple.The culture with the stronger influence typically takes over in the household and that culture is more influential with the children pertain in the interracial family. Our racial structure does not yet allot biracial Americans to choose freely between their two racial heritages (Korgen, 1998, p. 67). Interracial children often have a hard time identifying with their background. Typically, racially mixed children will be somewhat ambivalent towards their p arents ethnic or racial backgrounds (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 66). Biracial children have an especially difficult time identifying themselves as teenagers.As the child enters high school, where ones identity begins to take a particular shape dating begins, it is easy to see how difficulties can offend for biracial children. Since their physical appearance is different, and their families are considered unusual, many peer groups deny them (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 66). A substantial historical literature base suggests that interracial marriage may have a number of negative effects on the couples and their children. Among the suggested negative effects are anxiety, insecurity, guilt, anger, depression, and identity conflicts.On the rare cause that biracial people and/or interracial couples are asked about their cordial reality, they often report that the psychological and sociological problems that they face are manifestations of racism and overall societal pressure. This suggests that, perhaps the broader concern is not the issues affecting those convolute in interracial relationships, but rather the societal issue of race and the possessive investment in whiteness(Hibbler & Shinew, 2002). Biracial children typically identify themsel ves with one race and portray those characteristics.Biracial Americans who appear white are often judged by different standards than darker mixed-race individuals when they face the racial litmus test. Those who appear white are assumed to be white by those in the larger society who are unaware of their heritage (Korgen, 1998, p. 64). The biggest issues interracial couples and children distinguish with are racism and self identity. There are several grapple mechanisms for interracial families deal with when experiencing racism or self identity including ignoring it, net it, and normalize it, awareness, hiding, support groups, and using humor to cope with negative reactions of others.Ignoring and dismissing racism are very similar concepts. People have said that sometimes they tactile property they should say something in return to a racist discover but choose to ignore or dismiss it to avoid conflict. Normalizing racism occurs when people accept that they will be singled out be cause they are an interracial couple. An interracially married woman Sydney Mead has this to say (about interracial marriage and pictured racism) We are just ordinary people, an ordinary married couple and go through the same things that everybody else goes through.We have our problems you know, up and down, up and down (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 111). sensory faculty is when interracial couples are able to minimize the likelihood of encountering problems, or diminish their impact, by being very aware of their surroundings and the places they frequent. many a(prenominal) feel they can significantly reduce the type and frequency of problems by simply avoiding some places and spending more time at others (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 111).Hiding is when couples separation from social interaction to avoid racism or judgment. Support groups are an excellent resource for interracial couples who have estranged family and need to do a social network of support. Hu mor is another coping mechanism. Many couples have learned to laugh about the interactions they have as an interracial couple. Laughter and making jokes often helps to ease the pain of racism and base light of situations (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999).While it is neat that interracial marriage has changed in the eye of society in recent years, A great deal of misinformation exists concerning interracial couples. (McNamara, Tempenis & Walton, 1999, p. 3). The recent increase in interracial marriage is seen as a positive change in race relations and a compensate in racism. It also indicates that racial distances have declined between whites and racial minorities because of the increase in interracial marriages with whites for all racial minorities (Qian, 1999, p. 579).The acceptance of interracial marriage and the decline in racism is a great achievement for society. This is true but there are still powerful forces in society that make interracial marriage difficult, unappeali ng to people who might be looking for a partner, or otherwise unlikely (Socha & Diggs, 1999, p. 150). Although there has been often progress and acceptance with the concept of interracial marriages in society there is much more work and progress that needs to be completed. much research needs to be conducted to fully understand the cultural influences interracial families have.Overall, more attention is needed for ethnic culture, especially in the family conversation classroom. This general inattention can be attributed, in part, to family communication scholars and educators viewing their work from a Eurocentric perspective, which, similar to Eurocentrism in everyday life, leads to a general neglect of ethnic culture by assuming that all families are similar to those of the dominant group (i. e. , European Americans) and/or minimizing those who are different from the dominant group (Socha & Diggs, 1999, p.210).ReferencesHibbler, D. K. , & Shinew, K. J. (2002). Interracial Couple s Experience of Leisure A Social Network Approach. Journal of Leisure Research, 34(2), 135+. Retrieved April 11, 2007, from Questia database http//www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5000783247 Korgen, K. O. (1998). From Black to Biracial Transforming Racial Identity among Americans. Westport, CT Praeger Publishers. Retrieved April 11, 2007, from Questia database http//www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=9959531