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In the 21st century within the African American community, “blackness” is still upheld with pride and a great sense of community. With that being said, interracial dating and marriage is more prevalent now than it was in past generations, but there are still issues in the black community regarding dating outside the race, especially with whites.
Among African Americans interracial dating can be viewed as losing their identity and culture within the race, this is also seen in white culture too. The media depicts these issues that reside within white and black communities. For example, the 2001 movie “Save the Last Dance”, starring Sean Patrick Thomas as Derek and Julia Stiles as Sara. The movie illustrates a young white girl from the suburbs who moves to an urban area with her father. During this transition she meets a young black man and they hold a promising future together. Over the course of the movie racial issues surfaced because of their relationship between each other. Sara had to deal with being accepted into Derek’s culture as well as understanding. While on the other hand Derek had to struggle with being a black man and loving a white woman within his community. His black friends made him feel as if he turned his back on his culture by using racial comments and slurs because he was dating a “white” woman. He became a walking paradox because he was still a supporter in the black community, but he was dating outside the black race. Everyone around him felt like how could he be an image in the community while dating Sara.
Does this now set up a standard contained by “blackness” or has that standard always been in effect? Do people in black or white communities still have an issue with this or have we as a people progressed from this way of thinking?
This standard was not always in effect. Before whites and blacks were segregated there was a point in history when there wasn’t a difference within the poor people because they used to coexist and work together as endured servants and then that all changed. It is a societal tradition that has been passed down and still remains.
A few years ago I was walking with my white male friend on a boardwalk, we got stares from both black and white people.
Although this incident took place, interracial relationships are definitely more accepted now by both communities. Even though there is a percentage of people that still stare due to close-mindedness, the majority does not really care.
The issue of interracial dating has been something that has been brought up in my personal conversations with others. From what others and I have discussed, it seems to be more of a problem for older generations than it is for younger. Saying this, I also realize that some younger people do not agree with it. I feel as if people might have a stigma about dating inside your race because that use to be the only option. To date outside of your race would cause you nothing but trouble. I do not feel like it is a “standard” for a black man to date a black woman or a black woman to date a black man in order to express the “blackness” I just feel that it really just depends on who you fall in love with. There will always be those few judgmental people but we have judgmental people when it comes to any topic.
I honestly feel that although we have made some progress, there are still ghosts from the past that restricts us from believing that we can leave this way of thinking behind. I know a lot of people close to me that are in healthy interracial relationships that have been going strong for years. Color shouldn’t define if someone is worthy of courting.