Interracial marriage is known as mixed marriage, it’s a marriage between two spouses from different races. Interracial marriages mostly are between black Americans and the whites. In the 1950s interracial marriages and relationships were considered illegal in the United States. In 1972 interracial marriages was made fully legal throughout the United States and it became more common for members to have relationships and marriages. However, some Americans had a different reaction to the new law, they did not like that it had been legalized. The increase in interracial marriages and relationships with the whites reflects positive changes in American racial relations. Interracial marriages and relations have its benefits and limitations, this is discussed in the essay below.
One of the benefits of interracial marriage is that it opens one’s mind and the spouses are able to accept their partner’s culture. They take it as their own, this acts as a strong foundation for their marriage. The biggest advantage of mixed marriage is the aptitude to study additional about a different belief (Phoenix & Tizard, 2005). When a person only has relations with individuals from their own culture, they do not increase their gen and are frequently less accommodating of other people. Being in an affiliation with somebody from a different culture guarantees that you are open to other cultures. This means that you have the capability to study and experience their meals, belief, melody and so much more from a diverse belief that a person not acquainted with. Moving outside of what they know is noble for everybody and lets a person have a new viewpoint. An individual is a much better-rounded person when they learn about new cultures.
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Interracial marriage is also virtuous since it supports to take away some of the pigeonholes that have remained deep-seated into the community (Wadsworth & Kubrin, 2004). A person is able to the demonstration to their spouse that the adverse pigeonholes about their race which are not true and they can do the same for you. Whatever biases they might have believed, they are able to do away with them and will not pass them onto their children. This means that they are assisting to halt the sequence of pigeonholes and racism. When a person is accommodating to others, it can occasionally aid to make others around them more accommodating. This help people to build a good foundation and it shows that the spouses are willing to learn and are open to the new ideas. By letting go of their cultural believes it shows that they are more accommodating and this helps to strengthen their relationship.
Interracial marriages also enable one to know and learn their partner’s religion. By learning new religion it opens one’s mind and it helps strengthen the union. It enables a person to comprehend their spouse’s point of opinion and things. They will also be able to comprehend their spouse’s beliefs and their point of view (Phoenix & Tizard, 2005). This helps to reduce misunderstanding between the couple, it enables to know their spouses better. This is important because even a person can even change their religion to that of their spouses if they feel that it’s better than the one they were in. this enables the couple to have a strong foundation since they will share the same beliefs.
Interracial marriages give spouses a chance to learn a new culture. Learning new culture is very helpful and very knowledgeable. People are able to know new things that can benefit them in their life. Learning new culture opens up the spouse's mind into many possibilities. It enables people to be very open-minded and can also share what they learn with their friends and family (Wadsworth & Kubrin, 2004). This will help people to be more accommodating of other people with different culture and it will help promote peace among the people as a whole. By learning new culture like modern and traditional practices and try to find balance, people become open to many ideas and they are not judged because they understand that people are different and know that is ok. It is also nice to have the differences to compare. Interracial marriages enable people to share holidays and spend more time to celebrate each other’s culture and events.
Interracial marriages give people to experience different worldview. They give people a chance to learn about their spouse’s children and get to know how their childhood was like. Learning about each other’s differences and their values enable people to view things in a different perspective. Learning about each other’s lives enable people to gain more respect for their partners and hence they are able to understand each other since they know where they are coming from. Their similarities and differences create a strong bond and it makes them stronger.
The reasons for interracial couple fights come from many causes. One cause in which fights rise from members of society. The opinions on non-Blacks and Blacks interracial marriage is glowered upon. Though interracial marriage is more common, members of the public are not completely in agreement with these diverse unions and there are conflicting opinions on the impression of social approval of this union. Research findings examined explanations that social relationships and arrogance in American society intensely suggest a strong Black and non-Black racial gap (Gullickson, 2006). The allegation for Blacks in American society is that mixed marriages with Whites will remain to be less mutual than they are for other non-Black racial factions. Discrimination against interracial couples doesn’t just end there, discrimination occurs at restaurants and other public areas, people stare as if they had just seen a ghost. Sixty-four percent of African American and Caucasian mixed couples get an undesirable public response. This adverse response can be moderately minor, such as gazes, but then again it can also take the form of disparaging jokes and remarks and subpar facilities.
Those who take part in mixed marriages develop acquainted with being the outcast. They rapidly find themselves being the outcast in open places such as basilicas, cafeterias, and schools. Being the lesser in the room inevitably emphases attention on relations made up of diverse races. It frequently consequences adverse attention which may affect the person mentally. They always the odd one out in many places, especially if they live in communities that don’t embrace the interracial marriages (Wadsworth & Kubrin, 2004). At times these people feel that they are always being attacked and they can even end their marriage since the situation they are in is affecting them and they don’t feel like that kind of energy they are getting is healthy for them. In a community where people always feel the odd ones out is not a good place for them to live in and if might affect them mentally. However, when they focus on their spouses it helps them to overcome the negative energy from other people.
People who are in interracial marriages are likely to get offensive remarks from other individuals. When they come across individuals who do not approve with the fraternization of different races in relations, they possibly will not have to worry how they feel about the relationship. Certain individuals are extra than enthusiastic to let their view be known. They should anticipate offensive commentaries from those who do not agree (Phoenix & Tizard, 2005). Unfortunately, this can lead the couple to become upset when they venture out into the public. This can also affect the couple mentally because they face scrutiny every time they go out. Sometimes it’s depressing because the couple will not be able to enjoy themselves because they are always someone who will ruin the day for them. There are many people who are not sensitive to what they say to others and they do not think of how what they will say will affect another person. They are just concerned with expressing their opinion. This normally has a negative effect on the couple.
Interracial marriage couples might face rejection from their spouse’s family memberships. The community is not the only problem that they may have to agree with when it arises to having a multicultural relationship. Some of the relatives may also have an issue with the marriage (Gullickson, 2006). This can lead to feelings of denial and be renounced by family members who may disagree with them. The couple should be ready to deal with refusal from relatives who feel that diverse races would not make up an association. This will not feel right but people should be able to understand that people are different and by accepting that it will be much easier for them to deal with the rejection. However, rejection from the family will have a negative effect on the couple because family for many people is their support system and when they are against your marriage or do not like the spouse that one has chosen it can be very upsetting. This can also lead to people breaking their ties with their family for their spouses, some might be even be disowned by their families and it will have a negative effect on their health.
Some communities will inevitably adopt that since people are in a mixed relationship, that they must have a distressed relationship. Several individuals of lesser races are typecast, those in relations of diverse races also experience typecasting. Gapes and murmurs may develop the standard for them as they and their spouses to go into open (Phoenix & Tizard, 2005). People who are stereotyped are always assumed to have many issues so when they get into a relationship with a different race people will talk about them and scrutinize them. Understanding that people are different will enable the couple to have peace of mind and that they will not have to explain themselves to anyone about their union. However, being is not a good feeling to be stereotyped and it may affect the couple’s peace of mind and their mental state.
Mixed marriage people face intimidation from other people. There are people who disagree with the affiliation who may make an energy to intimidate them. This is particularly factual if they live in a minor town and are going against what is the norm. They may get intimidations and are involuntary forced to find a new place in an effort to live a rather ordinary life. While certain individuals can handle intimidation, other people decide on running away from it to find normality in the relationship. It is easier for those who are mixed relationships to live in big cities as contrasting to minor town. This kind of situation can be very difficult for the couple. In some small tows they might consider interracial marriages as wrong and once the couple goes against the norms of the town they can face backlash and can even be exiled. This can even cause the couple to break up since they do not see the need for all the mistreatment they are receiving. Some communities can even execute them for breaking the law (Gullickson, 2006). Some people can flee to another town and live there. Most people prefer to live in the big cities because their people are more open-minded and they will not get any intimidation.
Interracial marriages can create possible issues for their children. The main problem of mixed marriages it’s when it comes to their children. Children from this unions are normally treated in a different way from the other kids. Some societies see people from interracial relationships as inferior and are often not respected. These children normally struggle to get their identity. Children of mixed race are normally bullied in their schools and this can traumatize their childhood. When they are bullied and they are not getting any help they can even commit suicide. Children of mixed races especially between the blacks and white people are mostly considered to be thieves and can even be assaulted by the police when they have not even done anything (Wadsworth & Kubrin, 2004). They are usually harassed and beaten up just because of the perception that people have of the black people. These kids can also be framed for having drugs by other kids and when they are taken to court the judges will not rule in their favor. However, these kids have proven to be smart as the one race kids. Kids who grow up in such environments are most likely to develop self-esteem and personality issues.
Spouses in mixed relationships find themselves not only pugnacious with the everyday problems that affect the most relationship. Being classified as mixed race also add to the stress (Phoenix & Tizard, 2005). Multicultural unions are probable to end in divorce as a result of the countless scuffles that they have to deal with throughout their life. For example, when their families are against their union they will eventually have to end it because the all their families and if them being together will give them all sorts of problems they will decide to end it. It takes a lot of energy for people to keep fighting the negative energy that they keep getting from other people and it can be very exhausting. In that community that consider interracial marriage and relationships to be wrong, they threaten the lives of the couple. When it gets to the point where they are both in danger because of the love they have for one another they can just decide for the sake of their lives (Gullickson, 2006). There are so many negative things that people in interracial marriages face when they are together, sometimes the love they have for each other is not strong enough to help them face all the backlash they will be getting hence they just decide to end the relationship.
In conclusion, interracial marriages and relationships have their benefits which include, it gives people a chance to learn about other cultures, it also helps open some peoples mind to new experiences and it also enables people to understand more about other people and their religion. However, there are challenges that people in mixed marriages face, they include intimidation from other people, rejection by their families, being stereotyped and their children are bullied in their schools. Interracial marriages and relationships can be hard and also can be easy.
References
Gullickson, A. (2006). Black/white interracial marriage trends, 1850–2000. Journal of Family History, 31(3), 289-312.
Gullickson, A. (2006). Education and black-white interracial marriage. Demography, 43(4), 673-689.
Phoenix, A., & Tizard, B. (2005). Black, white or mixed race? race and racism in the lives of young people of mixed parentage. Routledge.
Wadsworth, T., & Kubrin, C. E. (2004). Structural factors and black interracial homicide: A new examination of the causal process. Criminology, 42(3), 647-672.
