Interracial marriages on rise in US--Pew study

Study researchers pointed out that today nearly one out of every seven newly wed couple’s marriage is interracial, which is double than the interracial marriage rate in the 1980s.

As per lead researcher and author of Pew study, Jeffery Passel, “American society is becoming more diverse, and workplaces, schools, and other arenas are fairly open so people can meet others of different races on one-to-one levels. Underneath that, there’s a broad acceptance of interracial marriages that 40 or 50 years ago just didn’t exist.”

Researchers also found out that almost all Americans are fine with the idea of marrying outside their race. 35 percent revealed to have a family member married outside their race.

The study primarily analyzed marriages between four major groups in the United States, which are blacks, whites, Asians and Hispanics.

Cultural and race barriers still in place
Sociologists agreed that study is an indicator of changing mindset and growing tolerance level among different races and ethnicities. However, it does not prove that all cultural barriers and prejudices have ceased to exist.

Study researchers pointed out that today nearly one out of every seven newlywed couple’s marriage is interracial, which is double than the interracial marriage rate in the 1980s.

Christine Iijima Hall, district director of Equal Employment Opportunity for Maricopa Community Colleges in Tempe, Ariz., said on the Pew study, "I don't think we've overcome all the taboos yet. The whole statement that we're post-racial after Obama got elected is not true. People are even more aware of culture and race now — which can be good — but we still have our prejudices about different groups."

Meanwhile, Daniel Lichter, sociology professor at Cornell University at Ithaca, NY, believes that probably it’s a small change but “race relations have certainly changed in a positive way. This indicates greater racial tolerance, a blurring of the racial divides in the US. In general, it’s an optimistic report.”

Afro-American women still lagging behind
Study also revealed that compared to other races; only 9 percent of Afro-American women marry outside their race or are least likely to get married at all.

Afro-American women, who took part in the survey, also revealed that they prefer to marry someone from within their own race. However, over the year’s eligible bachelors pool among their race seems to be diminishing fast.

"We are maybe not as coveted as black men in society. I just feel there is a lot of taboo that is associated with dating black women, 'cause I don't think they are necessarily ready to take us home to see momma," said Melinda Watson, a single black woman.