Interracial dating has been a recent growing topic on G@G, and some of the reactions have been negative. I thought I would share an article I have read a few months ago onto here about interracial couples (find the original article here). I found it surprising that these couples were ostracized for their dating choices. How could something as arbitrary as skin color become such a big deal to people?
I am no stranger to experiencing this. I was in a relationship with a white guy for a year, and I could remember some of the nasty stares we have got from some people. Unfortunately it did not work out, but that doesn't make it any less important. Was is really that big of a deal? We were both people, the only difference was our skin.
Anyway, to provide a bit of background information on the article, a woman by the name of Donna Princkley has made a photo series called "Sticks and Stones", which she had started in May of 2014. She was photographing a white woman with her black boyfriend, and her mother had told her that people have been saying horrible things about them. "If you go black, they won't touch you," Princkley said the woman's mother remembered hearing people tell her daughter.
Upon hearing this, she started to photograph more interracial couples. The reason why the photographs are black and white is to distract people from skin color and to focus more on the people's love for each other. She also asked the couples to recall an insult they have received and to write it down on a piece of paper.
Ms. Princkley has made the photo series so that people would become more open to interracial couples. She said, "Anyone is entitled to love. Love is love."
What really surprised her was the amount of younger couples who had experienced hate speech. According to Pew Research Center, the number of Americans in favor of interracial relationships has increased 24 percent as of four years earlier. Also, in 2013, 12% of newlyweds have married a person of a different race of their own.
“It’s kind of interesting to see, with race relations the way they are, you would think that you would only hear the comments made to older couples, but I’m finding out I have a lot of young couples, too, that have had comments made to them,” she said. "I find that kind of disturbing. It’s not getting better.”
One couple wrote, "Wouldn't you date someone your own race?" Another wrote, "They're disgusting".
Here are 18 powerful photos of beautiful couples and the rude backlash they have received from people.
"What are you doing hanging out with N***as?"
"Look at you taking another one of our good black men."
"Wouldn't you rather date someone your own race?"
"There are other black girls out there."
"Bitches like that are the reason we can't get good black men."
"Why is he with her? He has all of us beautiful black women to choose from!"
"I told you a black woman lived with a white man in that house!"
"If she can't use your comb, don't bring her home!"
"I'll bet your parents are really proud of you."
"What's wrong with an American woman? Do you not like American woman?"
"White men have taken everything, including our women."
"No other man would even want you."
"Don't like black women?"
"You'll never be able to give her what a white man could."
"Why are you with her?"
"All she want from you is a green card."
What is the lesson to be learned here? It's that... interracial couples are no different from your average white couple, or your average black couple. They do not deserve to be judged, and ridiculed because they chose somebody with a different skin color or ethnic background. If someone chooses to date outside their race, then that is their choice, and theirs alone. Why should it be condemned? After all, we are all people. We are all the same on the inside. Love is love, and love always wins in the long run.
Whether you agree or disagree with someone's preference in dating, keep it to yourself. All that matters is that those two people are happy. Let's spread love, not hate. We have enough of that in this world as it is already.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed.
I'm going to share some lighthearted stuff for a while after sharing this.
Sources:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/06/12/interracial-marriage-who-is-marrying-out/
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