Latino interracial dating is very prominent. In fact as per the pew research, there are more Non-Hispanic and Hispanic interracial marriages than any other interracial pairing.
Olivier Martinez and Halle Berry; Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault[pictured]; and Derek Luke and Sophia Adella are just but few famous and varied combo of Hispanics and Non-Hispanics in interracial relationships. Given the prominence of such couples, does it mean Latinos are more accepting or do we still stigmatize people who date and marry outside of la raza?
According to research, 56 percent of Latinos have dated someone outside of their race. And going by the census results of 2008-2012, the Latino population drove the rise in interracial marriage. In comparison to their black counterparts, Hispanic men are two-thirds more likely to marry a Caucasian spouse; and Hispanic women: four times as likely. This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering that it has been established that Latinos comprise more than 40% of all interracial relationships in the U.S.
So what happens when you bring a non-latina home for dinner?
Apparently, most family members will welcome you with both arms despite race. But the biggest fear isn’t that their son or daughter is dating or marrying out; their main worry is how the other family will treat their own.
For most couples, strangers are the ones who seem taken aback, especially Hispanic populated areas. Some Hispanic lady who was dating a white man gave an example of how an older white man shook his head in disgust after her boyfriend kissed her on the cheek.
The thing is: Strangers will always talk. Look at how fans still criticize Derek Luke and Sophia Adella interracial marriage even after being married for 17 years. Halle Berry has been accused of abandoning Blacks. This proves that no matter who you are, some people will never accept interracial mixing for some barbaric reasons best known to them.
Best moves:
- Focus on the two of you and when someone says something offensive, you are better off dealing with it in private as opposed to creating a scene in public.
- Much as its a free country, sometimes its easier to just remove yourself from people who disapprove and even places where you are not accepted as a couple. Much as some of the comments people blurt out could be out of ignorance or ‘harmless fun’, trust me, they hurt just as much. Distance yourself from such individuals.
- As for stares and comments from strangers: ignore. Some things cannot be changed. Words and confrontation may not change someones view about your relationship in a snap.
- Don’t let people dictate how you relate, act and live as a couple.
- When it comes to close family members acting out, you might consider taking the time to try and ‘school’ them and take it less personally. Once they get to know your spouse as a person, most family members turn around.
If you ask me, its all getting better…