Marriage Is Not All Black And White - 2695 Words

Unlikely Couples: Love is not all Black and White Discussing the Lack of African-American Man and White Woman Interracial Couples in Hollywood Films from 1960-2014 Marisol De Leà ³n Soc 290-140 November 25, 2014 It is hard to believe that once upon a time people vehemently fought against interracial unions in some misguided endeavor to protect the sanctity of marriage. Not only were interracial marriages frowned upon, but until Loving versus Virginia in 1967, they were actually considered illegal in many states and were punishable with jail time (Justia). Despite all the initial opposition, in the last decade interracial marriages have been steadily increasing. According to the United States 2010 Census, interracial marriages have increased 28% since the year 2000. Now, one in twelve married couples is an interracial couple. Considering that race is socially constructed and that there is no biological evidence to prove that it otherwise is not, it is inspiring to see more and more couples disregard racial barriers and merely see the person rather than the color of their skin. It is disheartening, however, to see that Hollywood films have not taken a similar approach to adequately portray th is impressive increase of interracial couples in the United States. While Hollywood has had no previous qualms about featuring an interracial couple, the couple shown will almost always fall into one of the following categories: a white or AfricanShow MoreRelatedThe For Multiracial Marriages And Multiracial Individual Identity1661 Words   |  7 Pagesfail to capture a phemenon poised to reshape how race is actually lived in America: the increase in multiracial marriages and births, which almost certainly will lead to more blended populations in future generations. As this trend continues, it will blur the racial fault lines of the last half of the twentieth century. The nation is not there yet. But the evidence for multiracial marriages and multiracial individual identity shows an unmistakable softening of boundaries that should lead to new waysRead MoreFamily Is A Essential Function Of Self Preservation Of Society818 Words   |  4 Pagesintermarriage is particularly relevant. M odern America is characterized by the high concentration of people of different color, culture and religion and an increase in inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages. In particular, in comparison with the last century, the number of marriages between African-Americans and Whites has increased. The problem of the interracial family life in America is affected in many studies due to its relevance. Many authors use different approaches in their studies of this subjectRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare894 Words   |  4 Pagesin Othello written by William Shakespeare. Throughout the play Othello, we see the struggles of a marriage that is not accepted by their society. Othello is a extremely cherished black general living in a primarily white community. The play begins with Othello secretly becoming married to a white woman named Desdemona. This reasons others who are white to become angry and excuse to dislike this black man further more than they already do. Othello is a downw ard spiral from love, to jealousy, to betrayalRead More Interracial Relationships Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pagesstare at them everywhere they go? In June of 1958, a white man and a half African-American and half American-Indian woman, both native citizens of Virginia, wed in South America. Not long after the marriage the couple returned back to the state of Virginia where they decided to establish a happy family. In October of 1958 the couple received an indictment charge, stating that the marriage had violated Virginia’s law of no interracial marriages. The couple was found guilty and was sentenced to oneRead MoreThe Color Of Water By James Mcbride1727 Words   |  7 PagesThe Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to his Mother The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to his White Mother written by James McBride is a miraculous memoir about James’ and his mother’s life. He describes in detail what it was like growing up in a household with a white mother, a black father, and eleven black siblings. Biracial marriages and families were not the norm and nor was it accepted by society during that time. James encountered many misfortunes growing up and was constantlyRead MoreThe Impact Of Modern Day College Students And Working Members Of Society1321 Words   |  6 PagesInterracial marriages has increased dramatically since the 1970s but according to 2007 U.S. Bureau of the Census data (2009), Black/White marriages count for half a percent of all marriages in America (Field, Kimuna, Straus, 2013, p. 742). In fact, white people are less likely to marry black people then they are to marry any other ethnic race other than their own. According to a 2012 Current Population Survey: â€Å"just 0.3% of White men in marriages were married to Black woman and 0.8% of White woman inRead MoreRethinking the Color Line: Larger Issues of Races and Racism Reflected By Romance1727 Words   |  7 Pagesdecades. Considering the statistics given, it is visible that Black-White marriages and Asian-American marriages were a taboo in the early twentieth century however this trend has gain familiarity and fame in the masses reflecting that individuals from Black and Asian ethic groups are becoming more acceptable to Whites. It was the interracial marriages which made many states change their legislation, lift bans on interracial marriages and made amendments to the existing laws by showing acceptabilityRead MoreThe Debate Over Interracial Couples942 Words   |  4 Pagesparagraph three I have came across an interesting quote saying that. In the course of the proceedings the trial judge asserted that Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red and he placed them on separate continents. And for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix. Now if that is true that God has separate us individuals on the continentsRead MoreWhat Comes Naturally : Miscegenation Law And The Making Of Race882 Words   |  4 PagesPeggy Pascoe examines the history of miscegenation and how it laid the foundation of white supremacy in the United States. While visible forms of white supremacy such as segregation helped mask the importance of miscegenation laws, Pascoe argues that miscegenation laws was a national movement tied inseparably to gender and sexuality that went beyond the Black/White dynamic, which courts and bureaucracies of local marriage officials used to produce race in America. Pascoe goes on to argue that the coreRead MoreIs Marriage For White People?1401 Words   |  6 PagesIn Ralph Richard Banks’ book entitled â€Å"Is Marriage for White People?† the definition of marriage varies from different cultures and views. The most popular and idealistic notion is that marriage is a result of the unconditional love of two people wanting to share this union for th e rest of their lives, in a long committed way. For some however, marriage is more of an economic arrangement, like a pact for two people to catch each other when the other one falls. And for others, it is only a piece of