BY MIA PATTERSON, Copy Desk Chief
There comes a moment when everyone, to some degree, simply stops what they’re doing to people watch. We watch the friends having a discussion over coffee, or that weird guy rocking out in the corner thinking that nobody can see him, and even the couples passing by.
We envy the people who seem to carry themselves with more grace and poise than others, and we envy the chemistry that some couples seem to possess.
Let’s face it: We are an envious culture that thrives on judging others based on what they have and what we don’t.
However, we have generally become a more accepting society with regards to relationships. Couples we see nowadays range from big to small, tall to short, black to white and everything in between.
What those who don’t pay attention in history class seem to disregard is the fact that interracial couples haven’t been around for that long.
People generally assume that anyone can be with anyone and that the world has always been that way—wrong!
Based on my first-and second-hand experiences with interracial couples from both my parents’ and my own relationship, interracial couples have not been ‘approved’ in society for that long. And, from the sideways glances to the silenced judgmental conversations, there is the underlying concern that interracial couples still face a dilemma.
There are still skeptics who hold on to the older ideals and value the separation between different races; however, we’re in the 20th century, right?
Isn’t it about time that we move on from judging people based solely on their skin color?
Shouldn’t people appreciate the successful relationships that are resulting from people falling in love based on their similarities and not so much on their differences?
I’m over the whole ‘judging a book by its cover’ B.S. that people seem to spew to their friends as a form of helpful adjusting advice. My advice: move on or get over it. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean that you have the right to judge. Ever hear the phrase “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all?”
In my time here at Central, I have come to realize that there are some people who are just plain ignorant, and then there are some who just want to watch the world burn with their arrogance and condemnatory critiques of relationships.
Some people can’t tell that I am multiracial, nor would you know what features to look for. Therefore, I can “pass” and you wouldn’t know that my father is African American or that my mother is Caucasian; however, when it is brought to your attention, you are able to judge me on the fact that I don’t look like I’m half black. So what? Why does my ethnic background change your opinion on whether or not I am allowed to enter into a relationship?
I have been with my current boyfriend for almost five years and we have had to overcome the ‘long distance’ lecture as well as facing the judgment of others (who were ignorant) on the fact that we are in an interracial relationship. Again, I ask, so what? Just because we don’t fit the American couple stereotype, we become victims because we are together? Yeah that seems legit—not!
People need to realize that we are in a fast-paced ever-changing society that is gradually accepting new ideas and concepts. We need to embrace the change and leave behind the negativity and the judgmental attitudes. Quite honestly, interracial couples are not, and should not, be at the top of the list of things to judge.
