While there can be trouble with any ethnic group pairing up outside of their background, people usually think of interracial in terms of black and white. Which begs the question can a white lead and a black lead fall in love?
It is said that love cannot be defined by the color of skin, but just because it is understood intellectually doesn’t mean it is accepted socially.
When I read in the news about interracial couples and the problems they face today it seems that prejudice is still running high on both sides of the line. The offended parties are the losers in love, and they spill poison and hate on those who have found love. The losers feel they’ve been deprived of their due when they see someone of their skin color happy and in love with someone of another skin color. In their jealousy, they don’t take into account what the two have in common with each other and immediately see only the differences… Superficial differences that is.
A man or woman dating someone of another color is seen to be driven by the urge to be that other skin color or a expression of a form of racial self-hatred. Skin color separates lovers today in the same way that society pressures rich men into seeking equally rich or highborn brides of the past (and present) in real life and in romance novels.
Interracial novels have to deal with the same issues and troubles that plague real interracial relationships today- prejudice and jealousy- to be authentic.
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This post was written by...
Keira – who has written 1034 posts on Love Romance Passion.
Keira's favorite type of heroes are blind, scarred, and tortured... yes, she understands those should be separate, but all 3 at once is also nice! She enjoys historical romances best and adores audio books because great narrators turn books into auditory/mental movies (and she loves her romantic dramas like Pride and Prejudice/North and South!) Learn more about Keira in My Instant Turn Ons, Offs, and Ifs.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a really interesting post! You are spot on about interracial dating. My friend is in a relationship like that and she gets harassed all the time. People need to just get over it.
I’ve been in an interracial relationship for the past decade and have 3 biracial children as products of that relationship, and really don’t have any trouble. I think the area you live in has a lot to do with how much scrutiny you get. There are a lot of biracial children in my city so it’s not a big deal, but there are certain counties where it is not tolerated at all.
I tend to write a lot of interracial romance. Sometimes race is a factor in the story and sometimes it’s not. Personally, I’d like to see more books featuring interracial couples where racism isn’t an issue. I’d just like to see couples in my situation viewed as normal, everyday couples in books.
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I’m getting into the interracial romance books now and I’m surprised that I never knew about them before. This new author that I met an event in New York has written a good book that I’d like to share with you guys. Her name is Latrivia Nelson and her first book was called ivy’s twisted vine. I would encourage anyone to read her books because there are more than just white and black dynamics. I have an asian sister-in-law and a black wife. She has something for everyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubmHK8AJVmQ
Interresting blog. I’ve been married to a black man for the last 10 years and have two sons. We got married for the usual reasons. I’ve never had any trouble with other people. Of ocurse I’m in France where things are apparently much different. Interracial couples are just about everywhere, and have been for years now. I enjoy reading interracial romances although they’re not my favorite. In reality I enjoy romance… As long as it’s a good one, I’m game. I recently read See Megan Run. It’s about two black people. It was a great book and it worked for me for that reason… not because of the H/H race.
I agree with what you said in this post and I would have to disagree with the comments. I believe that even if a person isn’t confronted openly and aggressively with discontent with IR doesn’t mean they aren’t met with it all the time. Maybe the person just hasn’t displayed their content to you yet, but if there is some, believe me it will come out. And racism and bigotry is everywhere.
There are a ton of underlying issues with racism and a whole ‘nother sea of whodikery when it comes to black on white love, let alone any other mixture, so I think these issues need to be brought up at least in an IR novel, well unless the story is set in an alternate universe.
I know this is old, but I have to say this blog caught my attention. I enjoyed it. I am half of an interracial couple and we do get harassed from time to time, but we just let it roll. We focus on our love and not what others think, because at the end of the day YOU have to live with the decisions you make.