What are the challenges facing interracial marriages right now?

When we talk about marriages between people of different racial groups, we must first accept that the concept of marriage is only a traditional act in many cultures which implies the union of two people based on social and religious customs that a society considers normal.

Marriage is also considered as the legal union of two people in which both have rights and duties under this marriage contract based on the laws of each nation. The marital union or concubinage were always considered as immoral unions because they break with the established social norms for the unit between a man and a woman considered morally accepted.

Marriage between people of different races (mixed-race marriage) is new, but marital unions between different racial groups are not. If we look at it within a historical  context we will realize that racial mixing has been going on long before the concept of race was a source of contention in modern societies.

During the era of slavery, the post-racial era and right now the concept of race is being used as a synonym for the superiority of one race over another, especially when we talk about the superiority of the white race over the black. This idea of ​​racial superiority is one of the reasons that justifies racial discrimination against blacks in many nations.

Marriages between blacks and whites in many Latin American nations, although legally accepted, were morally criticized by the white elites of these nations as a result of racism and religious beliefs. On the contrary, in the United States, interracial marriages were legally prohibited until 1967, when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unanimously in Loving v. Virginia that anti-miscegenation laws were unconstitutional.

Prejudices and taboos of interracial marriages Interracial marriages have their pros and cons is something that we cannot deny and even more so if this union occurs between a person of white race and another of black race. The negative attitudes, taboos, emotions and stereotypes associated with this marriage union is something that modern society still does not overcome despite the fact that marital unions and concubinage have always been part of the social behavior of many multiracial nations for centuries.

"In the case of the United States and a large majority of nations in Latin America in which blacks, whites and the indigenous population predominate, this type of relationship has existed since the foundation of these nations that have a slave-owning past."

When you analyze the different racial mixtures in many nations in Latin America and the Caribbean where miscegenation is notable, in the inhabitants of these nations  we realize that the unions between different racial groups is the reason for the racial diversity that we all know. The mestizo, mulatto and sambo population are the  most recognized by all historians and sociologists when they speak of population growth in Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Sexual relations between different racial ethnic groups have existed since the moment these groups were formed in all inhabited regions of planet Earth, and more so at this time in which all societies are part of the phenomenon of globalization which pushes more different racial groups to integration."

What are the challenges of an interracial marriage in the USA?

Every marital relationship between two people always has its challenges and the union between a black person and a white person is no exception. If we add racial differences as an element that hinders the social acceptance of this type of union in a racially divided society, it increases the challenges of this relationship, and more so when we talk about individuals who seek social approval in everything they do.

Racial differences (phenotypes) that in many cases are closely associated with ethnic and cultural differences, which would also be ingredients that would create more difficulties in the long-term maintenance of this interracial relationship. "If individuals with different racial characteristics know the real reasons why they choose outside their group, in all cases these racial differences do not determine the success or failure of the relationship."

Despite the criticism and social opposition of marriages between people of different racial groups, in recent times there has been an increase in this type of interracial unions in many nations of the world. In many Western nations, due to the multiracial and ethnic nature of the population, they are the ones that most present this new phenomenon of racial integration through the marriages of people from different racial groups.

People at this time are more willing to face the social prejudices, criticisms and challenges associated with this type of interracial relationship. Especially the new generations, which are not subject to rules imposed by social norms of a post-slavery past that they do not know. The preference of individuals to choose a partner from another racial group, which breaks a little the traditional customs that people have of looking for a partner within the same racial ethnic group is something that is changing at the moment.

How difficult is it to be in a biracial union right now? That depends on the reasons for this union, in which the good things (pros) that bring this couple together outweigh the bad things (cons) that separate them. How strong the emotional connection between both individuals is is one of the most important factors that determines the failure or success of this type of relationship.

I also believe that the type of cultural traditions, social activities, personal tastes, vision towards the future, common interests, type of religious beliefs and lifestyle will ultimately determine the quality, duration and possibility of success of this type of marital relationship. , not the racial or cultural differences that exist between the individuals who form this new type of marriage.

How are children affected when they have parents of different races?

Another thing that every interracial marriage (people of different races) must take into account is the type of education they will give their children, who will be considered mixed race by society and the prejudices they will have to face against children whose parents possess a well-defined breed type.

But also take into consideration that racially these children will not be able to self-identify by choosing a particular racial group that reflects one of the parents to the detriment of the other. These children will have a different racial category than the parents.

Knowing how it will affect the self-esteem of mixed-race children of parents of different races is something that must be taken into account, many before they come into the world, as a way of having an adequate handling of this reality as a way of preventing any type of emotional damage. or of behavior that the racial differences of the parents can have in the psyche of these children.

Another situation that we also have to take into account when we talk about the upbringing of mixed-race children, apart from racial differences, is the cultural differences that may exist between both parents (religious beliefs, type of language, folk traditions, etc.). ), to establish from the beginning which cultural elements will be dominant in this family nucleus, as a way to create an environment of consistency in terms of the cultural identification of mixed-race children.

Conclusion: If you are a person of black, white, indigenous, Asian or Middle Eastern race and you plan to marry a person of a different race than yours, the geographic location, and how important are for you the cultural norms of Your parents in many situations will determine the success or failure of this relationship.

One thing is the levels of social and cultural acceptance of interracial or biracial marriages in a multiracial society, such as the United States, Latin America and  the Caribbean, and another thing is the acceptance of this type of marriage in a homogeneous society where a single group Racial is the predominant one, as is the case in many Eastern nations such as China and Japan.