My thoughts

I may be ignorant for thinking this but I believe that interracial dating is the key to one day ending racism. I believe that if more and more people decide to date outside of their race we will one day only have one race of people. I know it is a long stretch to have this belief, but I feel like hoping for change is a start in achieving that change. I know and understand that this will not happen in my lifetime, but I hope that within the next millennium we will be close to reaching that goal. I see this as being the starting point to save the human race. Again I know this is not possible. I think a more reasonable goal for mankind is to one day accept the relationship choices of others regardless, of race, religion, and sexual preference. Until then I do not see American society being strong and united. An issue with interracial dating seems to me to be a form of discrimination. Basically I view those who are against interracial dating as those who are non-progressive and would rather revert to living in a segregated society.
Am I wrong for thinking this way or are people wrong for being against progression towards uniting and breaking barriers, which our ancestors would have never imagined. Only time will tell if interracial dating will grow and flourish and I will support it as long as I can.

Issues of Race affect Interracial Dating

Blog Entry #9

As I research more about issues with interracial dating I think back on my first blog post where I stated that racism is slowly becoming a thing of the past. When I think my experiences here at Wheaton and back at home in New York City I can recall different occasions where I found myself thinking a racist or prejudice thought against those who share my culture or are from a different culture than my own. Issues with interracial dating can possible show that the issue of race is still a strong topic in American society. For example our nation’s new president is multiracial, but because his phenotype is that of a Black Male he is called our nations’ first Black President. As humans we are always trying to classify and identify something. I think for many people they are having a hard time identifying interracial relationships as a normal and acceptable human practice.
Also people are afraid of things that are different than what they are used too. So for those who have not been exposed to different races and cultures, interracial dating is an unfamiliar act. I believe that as humans we disregard what can understand and those who are opposed to interracial dating are those who do not wish to understand and accept people’s choice to date outside of their race.

Past Thoughts

In 1991 Director Spike Lee released his movie Jungle Fever. It is from the film that I chose the name for my blog. I thought that it would be helpful it re-viewed this film and learned about past thought on interracial dating. In the following clip from the film, a group of African American women converse with one another about Black Men dating white women. The conversation is filled with stereotypical thoughts, hate towards white women who seek to date black men, and even negativity towards a Black woman who chooses to date outside of her race. I hope the following clip gives some insight on how some Black women viewed interracial dating between White women and Black men and how some Black women may view interracial dating today. I warn you that this film clip contains strong language that may be eoffensive to some viewers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpOMQ41UB9c

Expectations or I dont Care What They Think

What should someone expect when engaging in interracial dating? I guess you should expect some people to stare, others to ask why, and some to blatantly tell you that you should not be dating someone of another race. You should also expect some people to be offended even though your relationship has no effect on their personal well being. You could expect all of this or you could simply think how many people think and just not care what other people think of your relationship. As someone who is and has been involved in interracial dating it is very hard to ignore the opinions of your family and friends who are against or don’t understand why you choose to date outside of your race. Many people that I have met who engage in interracial dating, say that during the first 6 months to a year of the relationship they found themselves constantly defending their relationship to someone who was either related to them or knew them on a personal level. What I am constantly asking myself and searching for during this entire process is why people are so interested in the relationships of others. Has this quality always been a part of human culture? Will it ever end? I doubt that it will, but what will it take for interracial dating to be completely and honestly accepted by society. When will it no longer be taboo for a Black Man and White Woman to date, marry, and bare children without someone thinking he is a sell out and she is stealing another good black man?

Stereotypes

In my last few post I touched on, but did not go into great detail about the stereotypes about interracial dating. Some stereotypes are that Black men date White women because they are "easy", meaning they can easily manipulate them or they are easily willing to have sex with them. Another stereotype is that Non-Latino men date Latina Women because Latina women are eroticized and exoticized. A well known stereotype about interracial dating is that White women date Black men because Black men are stereotyped to have larger genitalia then White men and they want to know if sexual intercourse is better with Black men. Some believe that Black men or women date outside their race so that their children are born with lighter skin and “good” hair. Good hair is generalized to be non-kinky and easily manageable.
I find it shocking that people believe that interracial dating is done for such shallow reasons. Why is that people can become involved with someone outside of their race because they are physically, mentally, and emotionally attracted to someone who cares about their well being and feels the same about them. I find it hard to believe that a person was specifically date outside of their race so that their children will be lighter or because they find someone to be exotic. That view makes people seem shallow and I would like to believe that humans have evolved beyond that.

Interracial Dating In America Uncovered

I stumbled across these videos on YouTube. They are from a documentary done on Interracial dating in America. The following clips identify the stereotypes and negative thoughts of people against interracial dating. I apologize if it offends anyone, but believe it is crucial in getting to the bottom of people's strong feelings towards interracial dating.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKeLjQrSyls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkzaMOz87E&feature=related

Interracial Dating At Wheaton College

With only a small amount of students of color here at Wheaton the dating scene is very limited for Black, Latino, or Asian students who choose to date only within their race. Interracial dating does take place here at Wheaton and there are a few couples who are committed to one another and open about their relationship, but there are some people who “hook-up” or have sex with someone of another race because they want to “try something new”. When you choose to become involved with someone, whether exclusively or casually, there is most often a physical attraction to that person. The next factor is getting to know their personality and the enjoyment of spending time with them. Unfortunately, here at Wheaton this is not always the case. I interviewed my friend Jen who is a senior here at Wheaton and this is what she had to say said about interracial dating here at Wheaton,

“In terms of interracial dating and oftentimes at Wheaton I find myself questioning the authenticity of some of these relationships… The idea of interracial dating may also be eroticized by some for who it may not be a possibility-and this is where issues may arise. It is in this eroticized fantasy where the validity of interracial relationships is questioned and often time people may disagree with these relationships.”

Jen indentifies as Costa Rican and has been involved in interracial relationships both exclusively and casually at Wheaton and in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York. She is an advocate for interracial dating. Her only issue with interracial dating here at Wheaton involves the dating of White females and Black males. She believes that some of the White girls who become involved with Black males and vice versa do so not because of attraction to the other’s personality, but because they want to know what it is like to date someone of that race or just be able to say that they did.

My conversation with Jen made me aware of other reasons people disagree with interracial dating, specifically interracial dating here at Wheaton. Is this opinion shared only with students of color? Or do white students also agree with Jen’s notion of authenticity? I am not sure but I will find out how other members of the Wheaton community feel about interracial dating.

Acceptance Having an Affect on Choices

“My parents would never accept me bringing someone of another race home… I’m just not attracted to girls/guys outside of my race… I don’t date outside of my race because I’m sure we won’t have anything in common since we come from different cultures… I am afraid people will stare at me if I was on a date with someone of another race… My children can have friends of another race, but I would prefer if they dated within our race or ethnic background”…These are just some of the reasons that people I have met choose not to date outside of their race. All of these reasons are valid in their own right, but the three issues I have with these responses to interracial dating are the discrimination against dating someone who looks physically different then you, allowing those who disapprove of interracial dating to sway your choice to date outside your race, and denying your attraction for someone because they come from a different culture.

Is it limited or no exposure to interracial dating that causes people to be in opposition to interracial dating? Or is it fear of ones relationship not being accepted by family and friends that ultimately affects the choice to not date outside of ones own race? I believe that majority of people who have had little to no exposure to interracial dating live in suburban areas, where everyone in that community is of the same race and social class. Although there are communities in urban areas that are divided by race, religion, and social class, it is nearly impossible to avoid the mixing of races in schools, work environments, and public places in general. Since there is more interaction with people of other races, if interracial dating occurs I believe there is a greater chance of acceptance from peers and family.

What do you think?

First thoughts about Interracial Dating

So I was staring at the computer screen thinking about what I should talk about in this post and then I came up with a great idea to do a poll. In previous post I talked about acceptance and authenticity of interracial dating. So for this poll I decided to survey a few people and ask them general questions to learn more about people’s views towards interracial dating. This poll was also done to observe whether or not social class, race, or gender plays a roll in how people view interracial dating. The question I asked for this poll was, “When you think of Interracial dating what races do you think of dating?” I interviewed 2 Black Males and 1 Black Female, 2 White Males and 2 White Females, 2 Latino Males and 2 Latino Females, and 1 Multiracial Female. 5 of those interviewed thought of Black and White races engaging in interracial dating. 3 thought of White and Latino races engaging in interracial dating. 3 thought of Black and Latino races engaging in interracial dating. 1 thought of Asian and White races engaging in interracial dating.
I talked with each polled after the answered the question, the primary factors that influenced people’s answers were the first images of interracial dating they had seen, the stereotypes of interracial dating they heard, the culture they grew up with, the people the grew up around and what races they would or are attracted too if they were to date or do date outside of their race. For the person who identified as multiracial she identified interracial dating with the races that she personally identified with which are Asian and White. Secondary factors that influenced people's answer were what races dating would be accepted in their community or social class.

Jungle Fever: Why are Interracial Relationships still an issue?

Interracial dating has become more popular as racism has slowly become an issue of the past. In today's society we see more people dating, marrying, and baring children with people of races outside of their own. I myself come from a multiracial family, where a few of my relatives are of mixed races whether it be a mixture of Black/Caucasian, Black/Latino, or Black/Asian. So for me interracial relationships were never an issue in my household. For the last four years I have dated girls outside of my race. In New York City where I am from, when I dated outside of my race it was strictly with Latinas and never once did me dating a Latina cause a stir amongst my peers. It wasn't until I came to Wheaton in the Fall of 2007, and began dating a Caucasian girl that the issues or stigma of interracial relationships began to affect me personally. Through this cross-cultural encounter I plan to study the interracial dating culture on the Wheaton College Campus in comparison to my hometown of New York City.