Asian Americans have also experienced difficulties in their interracial marriages. Asian Americans engage in more interracial relationships than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. Laws forbidding interracial marriages between Asians and Caucasians were common in the United States.

These laws, like all other anti-miscegenation laws, were overturned following a state judicial decision in California Perez v. Sharp and a U. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Even though the results of these cases made interracial marriages legal, the negative societal perspective on such unions has been slow to change. He notes that many of those marriages took place because of the low socioeconomic status of many of the women who lived near U. He also points out that these interracial marriages displayed undaunted courage and optimism in spite of the obstacles they faced due to language and cultural differences and the lack of support from their families and communities in both countries.

However, Kim also points out that the Asian women often carry the burden of cultural norms that provide severe penalties for marriage outside their ethnic group out-marriages. Even though there has been improvement in the acceptance of Asian outmarriages by their families, there continue to be difficulties because of cultural differences. Interracial relationships and marriages remain controversial for several additional reasons. Many Asian Americans are alarmed because of the rising number of interracial unions, which they believe reduces the pool of eligible men and women who could otherwise engage in same-culture unions.

Some Asian Americans are concerned that, because of the high number of out-marriages, distinct groups of Asians may disappear within a few generations. Additionally, whereas so many Asian women are out-marrying, there is the fear that many Asian-American men will remain unmarried because of the dwindling number of available Asian-American women Fujino A similar fear is expressed by African-American men and women. As African-American men and women increase their level of education and move to higher economic levels, fewer and fewer members of their race are available for marriage.

This often leads to frustration on the part of African Americans who seek to marry someone of their own race, and also leads to increased levels of out-marriage, as increases in income and educational levels occur. Some of the difficulties experienced by interracial couples are unique and a direct result of the interracial experience. The myths that surround interracial couples can also be stumbling blocks to a healthy marriage.

In a study conducted by Richard Watts and Richard Henriksen , Caucasian females report that, when engaged in interracial marriages with black males, they often receive the following messages: However, many couples state that the reasons they got married are not that much different than same-race couples. Like other couples deciding to spend their lives together in marriage, interracial couples have many reasons for their choice to marry.

The words of a Caucasian female engaged in an interracial marriage point out the importance of recognizing that interracial couples are attracted to each other for the same reasons as homogeneous couples. People should first look inside themselves before they look at others and judge them.

mis·ce·ge·na·tion

They should remember that a couple is made up of two people, not two races or cultures. Like other women, I was attracted to my husband because he is considerate, caring, and someone I enjoy spending time with. Healthy families raise healthy children no matter the race or culture of the parents. Watts and Henriksen , p. Research supports this woman's perspective. Interracial couples tend to marry because of four important facts: Racial selection factors tend to be less important in selecting an interracial partner for marriage than nonracial factors Lewis, Yancey, and Bletzer In other words, as with other couples, interracially married couples are typically attracted to each other based on similarities rather than differences.

Interracial dating is affected by propinquity, attractiveness, and acculturation. Research involving Asian-American out-dating demonstrates that propinquity is the strongest predictor of whether or not the individual will engage in interracial dating. Acculturation and assimilation have also been shown to be positively related to the incidence of interracial marriages. When removed from the demand for intraethnic relationships imposed on Asian Americans by family and the community, Asian Americans are more likely to explore relationships with partners of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, often resulting in interracial marriages Fujino These factors are true for other racial and ethnic groups as well.

Many of the people engaged in stable, well-functioning interracial marriages tend to be older, more educated, and have higher incomes, all factors seen as increasing marital stability. Interracial couples that appear to be more vulnerable to marital difficulties tend to have lower incomes, less education, and limited residence in the United States of a foreign-born partner.

The length of residence can amplify cultural differences in the relationship and generate or exacerbate marital discord.

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Marital stability is also affected by the particular racial combination. Racial prejudice is often cited as a main reason why, in some racial groups, out-marriages are rare and in others are more common. In addition, racial prejudice has been shown to affect the resiliency of the marriage based on the partner's ability to cope with the prejudice Chan and Wethington Chan and Elaine Wethington identified several factors that could facilitate resiliency in interracial marriages.

First, interracial marriages tend to be more stable and involve fewer conflicts than other types of interracial relationships. Second, whereas interracial couples and families face unique challenges, they tend to develop mature coping and conflict-resolution styles. Third, given that well-functioning interracial couples often have higher levels of education, they tend to have superior resources for coping with the problems they encounter. Finally, interracial couples tend to build support networks of like-minded people and build strong bonds with each other as a means to overcome adversity.

Any view of interracial marriages must be taken in light of the current worldview of interracial relationships.

miscegenation

In the current global climate, there is both increased tension and greater openness. People are more likely to engage in activities that cross racial and ethnic boundaries. However, there also continues to be prejudice and fear about racial ethnic groups with whom many people have little contact. Nevertheless, when people strive to understand the traditions, values, and beliefs that are endemic to the many groups that make up our global societies, then they will be better able—and, it is hoped, more inclined—to work together for the good of all.

Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Retrieved January 12, from Encyclopedia. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia. Marriage is an important social institution. In every society, family values and social norms are in place to proscribe appropriate behavior regarding mate selection.

Mate selection follows the pattern of like marries like — people aspire to marry those of the same age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, religion, or social class. But then, finding an exact match in every characteristic is difficult. Matching based on certain characteristics may become more important than on some others. In most societies religion and race are often the two most important criteria.

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Religious and racial group boundaries are most likely the hardest to cross in marriage markets. In the United States , religious boundaries are breaking down and interfaith marriages have become more common over recent generations. Marriages crossing racial boundaries, on the other hand, still lag behind. This is not surprising because American society has a long history of racial inequality in socioeconomic status as a result of racial prejudice and discrimination. Race boundary is the most difficult barrier to cross.

Nevertheless, the racial marriage barrier in the United States appears to be weakening as well, at least for certain groups. Americans have had more contact opportunities with people of different racial groups in recent decades than in the past because increasingly, they work and go to school with colleagues from many groups. Because racial gaps in income have narrowed, more members of racial minorities can afford to live in neighborhoods that were previously monopolized by whites.

Physical proximity creates opportunities to reduce stereotypes and to establish interracial connections and friendships. In addition, mixed-race individuals born to interracially married couples tend to help narrow social distance across racial groups because of their racially heterogeneous friend networks.

The growth of the mixed-race population further blurs racial boundaries. Attitudes toward interracial marriage have shifted over time as a result. In , a national survey asked Americans for the first time for their opinions of interracial marriage. Only 4 percent of whites approved of intermarriage with blacks. Almost 40 years later, in , 67 percent of whites approved of such intermarriages. Blacks were not asked this question until ; they have been much likelier to approve of intermarriage, reaching 83 percent in Social scientists take such expressions of attitudes with a grain of salt.

Respondents who answer attitude questions in a survey may simply reflect their desire to fit in with the rest of society. Despite misgivings, people today may feel that it is inappropriate to express reservations about racial intermarriage. Many Americans, it appears, remain uneasy about interracial intimacy generally — and most disapprove of interracial relationships in their own families. Indeed, support for interracial marriage by white Americans lags far behind their support of interracial schools 96 percent , housing 86 percent , and jobs 97 percent.

Still, such relationships are on the increase.