Interracial and Cross Cultural Dating of Generation Y
Interracial romance has been an issue in the United States since the first English settlers established colonies during the seventeenth century. Over the years, views toward interracial relationships in America have changed greatly. The interracial dating trend among today’s teenagers is increasing at a steady rate (Grapes 49). However, there are still many biases facing Gen-Y youth who choose to date someone of another race. A look at the history of interracial romance in the United States will shed light on today’s attitudes.
In the 1600s, Maryland banned interracial relationships between whites and slaves due to the questions over whether the offspring would be considered black and property, or white and free. Many other states followed Maryland, instituting anti-miscegenation laws that banned interracial marriages and relationships. In 1691, Virginia outlawed interracial couples and labeled their children as “that abominable mixture and spurious issue (Grapes 6).” When slavery was abolished with the thirteenth amendment in 1865, southern states issued Black Codes that continued to prohibit relationships between whites and blacks. Many whites believed that Africans and Native Americans were inferior races and interbreeding would contaminate the white gene pool.
Even where interracial relationships weren’t outlawed, mixed couples could face serious consequences within their community. In the 1800s, a visitor from England to Buffalo, New York, described the plight of an interracial couple he met. “The wife (a white woman) was despised by the wives of white citizens, and both (the husband and wife) were shunned,” he reported. “White etiquette would not le...
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... 5th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000.
“More Than Half of Teens Who Date Have Dated Interracially: Study.” Jet Nov. 1997: 32.
“New Survey Shows Attitudes More Open Toward Interracial Relationships.” Jet Oct. 1995: 22.
Richardson, Brenda. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: Celebrating Interethnic, Interfaith, and Interracial Relationships. California: Wildcat Canyon Press, 2000.
Rothman, Robert. Inequality and Stratification. 3rd ed. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
Shipler, David. A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America. New York: Random House, 1997.
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“Why More Black Women are Dating White Men.” Jet Oct. 1997: 12-14.
Zook, S.F. “UC-Davis Students Discuss Interracial Relationships.” The California Aggie 01 Dec. 2000: 8.
Race and ethnicity is a main factor in the way we identify others and ourselves. The real question here is does race/ethnicity still matter in the U.S.? For some groups race is not a factor that affects them greatly and for others it is a constant occurrence in their mind. But how do people of mix race reacts to this concept, do they feel greatly affected by their race? This is the question we will answer throughout the paper. I will first examine the battle of interracial relationship throughout history and explain how the history greatly explains the importance of being multiracial today. This includes the backlash and cruelty towards interracial couple and their multiracial children. Being part of a multiracial group still contains its impact in today’s society; therefore race still remaining to matter to this group in the U.S. People who place themselves in this category are constantly conflicted with more than one cultural backgrounds and often have difficulty to be accepted.
Wise, T. (2012). Dear white America: Letter to a new minority. San Francisco, CA: City
Scene: This scene in the film comes just after the house has been picked up in the twister. Dorothy's house has been lifted up into the sky and suddenly dropped back down to earth in the middle of the Land of Oz. In the scene itself, Dorothy leaves her home to see that she is "Not in Kansas anymore," and finds the new and amazing world of the munchkin city in front of her. She also meets Gwendela the good witch as her journey in Oz begins.
At the age of 68, Calhoun died in Washington on March 31, 1850, and only a few months later, Congress managed to pass the Compromise of 1850, which many believe dispelled secession and civil war for the next decade.
Wu, F. H. (2002). Yellow: race in america beyond black and white. New York: Basic
Marriage, as an institution, has evolved in the last few decades. As society progresses, the ideas and attitudes about marriage have shifted. Today, individuals are able to choose their partners and are more likely marry for love than convenience. While individuals are guaranteed the right to marry and the freedom to choose their own partners, it has not always been this way. Starting from colonial times up until the late 1960’s, the law in several states prohibited interracial marriages and unions. Fortunately, in 1967, a landmark case deemed such laws as unconstitutional. Currently, as society progresses, racism and social prejudice have decreased and interracial marriages have become, not only legal, but also widely accepted.
When a person of color is in a relationship with a white person, their relationship is often met with great tension. The history of issues with interracial relationships in the United States is long. Loving someone across the color line was once illegal, but now that segregation is over, more people are having interracial relationships.
Many would agree that segregation is no longer a pressing issue. Although it has been outlawed since 1954, society still implements a similar mindset, especially directed towards interracial dating. Some still believe that people of different races should not form relationships, while others deem it as acceptable. The following researchers use methods like surveys and interviews to analyze the connections between societal judgment and involvement in such relationships. Each study, providing slightly more insight than the previous, suggests the fear of social conflict creates skepticism towards mixed relations.
Sollors, Werner. I Interracialism: Black-White Intermarriage in American History, Literature, and Law. New York: University Press, 2000.
The Wizard of Oz the movie demonstrated all three stages Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero’s journey. The first stage or known as the departure of the hero. The hero in the movie is Dorothy. Dorothy’s call to depart is to run away from home to protect her dog Toto from being taken away from her inferior neighbor. While running away Dorothy comes upon Professor Marvel, a fortuneteller. Professor Marvel tells her that her Aunt Em is in danger and needs her assistance back on the farm. When returning to the house a twister hits the ground. As the winds started to get heavier the hero’s house moved across the air uncontrollably, but then she leaves home and enters a new world of talking animals and colorful objects. In the new world of the Oz
Enhancing and progressing the histrionic narrative, Oz superbly fuses the action of the plot with the film’s musical numbers. “Follow the Yellow Brick Road,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” and the enduring immortality of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” are songs almost everyone is familiar with and are fundamental to the film’s standing as a major work of art.
Going to a four-year college can give a higher salary, more security, valuable life experience, and more choices for a successful life. Going to a four-year college can provide a more direct and secure route to a person's goals. The chances of making it big without a college degree are very small. Andrew J. Rotherham reported that “without a college degree, only 14 percent of Americans from the bottom fifth of parental income reach the top two-fifths. But if they complete college, 41 percent of this same group can then expect to make it to the top two-fifths.”
At the beginning of the film, Dorothy sings “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, where she quotes “If happy little bluebirds fly, beyond the rainbow why, oh, why can’t I? Portraying to the audience that Dorothy wants more than the life she has. However, as the film progresses, she does indeed understand that this fantasyland is not her home and she has obligations to her aunt and uncle. She is not swayed by the Land of Oz to the extent that she wants to reside there and realises that her roots and identity lie back in Kansas. The director uses the quote ‘There’s no place like home’ as it represents the major theme and reinforces an understanding of the importance of being true to where you come from. Finally, at the end of the film, Dorothy acknowledges the lure of faraway places while affirming that her emotional compass always points homeward in the quote "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard," Dorothy says to further illustrate her awakened state of mind she has acquired through her adventures in the Land of Oz.
... using the PEC, I have been able to analyze a few problems with the Internet, and I have been able to develop an understanding of how these problems can affect our democracy. These problems include heavy commercialization, media consolidation, and a lack of a public sphere.
The Benefits of Higher Education states it perfectly, “After spending many years learning, people tend to feel happier and more content as they lead educated lives…Consequently, education promotes fulfilling, fuller lifestyles” (¶ 6). The types of jobs a person will be able to acquire after a college education allow more freedom and security, as well as an improved intellect. The naysayers believe that people do not need a four-year degree to acquire a job, but how many good jobs with comprehensive financial benefits do not require a four-year degree? What quality jobs are in store for an individual when they are nineteen or twenty years old with no working experience? Those kinds of jobs tend to have lower salaries with longer work hours. Higher education not only gives students more opportunities but the skills and understanding that allow them to dig deeper into more difficult situations. “After a trip through the world of higher education, you will hopefully be the person who communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems. You will know to ask questions” (Carter ¶ 14). Receiving a higher education will help anyone narrow down their options and help them succeed with life’s constant challenges. Greater numbers