Interracial relationships: Choose acceptance over intolerance
Although it is the year 2018, there are still major controversies about certain romantic partnerships. Interracial relationships are one of them. Some individuals despise a diverse relationship as much as walking in wet socks.
Why is dating someone outside a person’s own race still considered outside of the ‘social norm’? In fact, maybe how a person looks on the outside should not be a contributing factor to any relationship.
The world has come a long way in fighting against prejudice and discrimination. Interracial marriage has been legal since 1967 but, unfortunately, intolerance can still be found. Ignorance can be overwhelming, especially when interracial couples have to deal with uncomfortable situations.
The problem with society is that they tend to give their opinion when people don’t necessarily need nor want it. One of the struggles interracial couples face, explained in an article by Cosmopolitan, is that individuals make the relationship a bigger deal than what it really is.
Do not be that dramatic person and act outraged after finding out a friend or family member is dating someone from a different race. Be the person who fist bumps them because everyone enjoys a good fist bump of approval.
Christmas is around the corner. When a couple dedicates themselves to being in an interracial relationship, they may face the challenge of not being together during the holidays if they find themselves not being accepted by relatives.
Sometimes it’s easier for a couple to go their separate ways when visiting family during the holidays. A family should not make couples like the Red Sea, separated, with Moses nowhere to be found. Committed couples may choose to spend the holidays together and forego visiting family instead.
Couples should not have to make these difficult decisions. Families should love each other unconditionally. Unconditional love from family is not when they refuse to accept someone because he or she is not the right skin color, ethnicity, religion or gender. That is discrimination. No one wants to be judged; life can be hard enough.
Interracial relationships shouldn’t have to face the many obstacles so many seem to encounter in order to enjoy life. Any couple wants to go the store without being stared at, enjoy a date night without being asked if they are an item and/or attend a social event without being asked questions that lead to politics.
The saddest situation is when an interracial couple ends their relationship because they cannot find the acceptance or support they need from the people closest to them. If a person decides to be with someone who is not their race, it is their decision, no one else’s. People’s relationships should never be placed on a pedestal to be judged and ridiculed.
They should not be shunned as if they poured the milk before the cereal. Family members are the people who should stay by each other’s side no matter what and support the decision they each make. Love may or may not conquer all, but it begins with understanding and acceptance.
A graph by Pew Research explains that 6.9 percent of U.S. adults have at least two ethnicities in their background. The community needs to remember that America is the land of immigrants. Most of our ancestors migrated to America from a different country, whether they traveled by foot or ship.
With technology these days, a person can have their DNA tested to find out where exactly their family derived from and develop a new sense of identity. Pew Research also did a study that revealed the number of interracial newlyweds more than doubled in the year of 2015 from 1980, but we’re all a mixed bag of ethnicities. These numbers will continue to rise and people can either jump on board or sink.
Christmas is about spending it with loved ones, family and friends. It’s a good time to start new if there have been past altercations. Forgive those who need to be forgiven because it’s a heavy burden to carry. Disapproving someone’s ethnicity is a waste of precious time because every person is a person.
Holiday time should be having family nights, driving around to see Christmas lights, drinking hot chocolate and sharing laughs. Life is about making happy memories and those sweetest memories come from the people who create happiness. Be the happiness in someone’s life, not the heartache.
Every person is a soul, not the body we perceive in this life. We are all part of the same race — the human race. Acceptance of a person can be the most humane act of kindness; act humanely. The season of goodwill toward all is about to begin — let it begin at home.
