Interracial Relationships - why do people stare at couples?

Question

I'm curious as to why a mixed couple seems to raise eyebrows and draw automatic stares and a same colour couple barely gets a glance. Also why does it seem as though white men are least likely to get involved with a woman of a different colour whilst white women are more likely to do so - yes i know it's an individual choice but i'm just asking as an overview. Ummm before anyone knocks me - i'll just add that my folks are of a happily mixed race :))) Just wondered what folks on here think.

Answer 1

I noticed that firsthand as well. I can think of four factors to explain that:

1. Because it's unusual. I clearly think it's the dominant factor. Most of the times, people date people from the same "ethnic group". Any relation outside that group tends to attract attention just because it is a rare type of relations and what is rare gets noticed.
You can imagine that a couple where the woman is much taller than the man would attract attention for the exact same reason, and no one would suspect "sizism" or any other *ism.

2. "Racial jealousy". I don't know if it's a behaviour selected by evolution or just a culturally aquired one, but people from a specific ethnic group tend to get annoyed if they see one of them "lost" to another ethnic group.
This factor might be even more relevant with women. They have long been considered "tradable goods" and they still receive much more social pressure regarding their sexual behaviour than men.

3. Communitarianism. From the minority point of view, such relations can also be seen as "selling out". Might or might not be just the same as factor #2. Some black thinkers suggested that black people dating white people were doing so out of a complex rooted in the period of slavery or colonisation.

4. Just plain racism. Like you can see in some of the answers above, this is obviously a factor. But I tend to think that this is a very marginal one. Might or night not be an extreme version of factor #2 as well.


Just to clarify for the few naive persons who think that the whole world has gone Benetton. Interracial relationships *do* attract attention and you just need to be in one to be constantly reminded of that fact.

Answer 2

Ignorance!! Some people may be brought up from old narrow minded ways. I notice the older generations may be more disturb by it. The younger ones may not care about it. But if they do it may be because they where brought up in a small “bubble of a world” and find it to be new to them. Quite frankly, I would care less what the other people think. I have several friends that are in interracial relationships and it never been a big deal and even a thought.

The world still has a long way to go before everybody is happy. There will always be stupid people are tripping on something. I say screw them, just enjoy life as you see fit

Answer 3

Yikes! Where are you? Does that sort of thing still really happen? You would think the modern human; with most people able to read and write, television, radio and the Internet, would be better educated that to be so racist that they even notice mixed race couples.

Do you live in South Africa or something. Maybe some people are a bit paranoid and think they are being stared at, but there are a lot of thick people in the world so I suppose it must happen!

So that's my answer: There are some moronic people in the world who choose to be stupid even though they have every opportunity not to be.

Answer 4

Some people do it because anything that's outside their narrow view of "how things should be" upsets them.
Others may do it because they're impressed by the fact that these couples are unwilling to give in to the pressures of the first group.
I see *a lot* of mixed couples in the Paris region. Most people don't give them a second glance.

Answer 5

A lot depends on where you are and what people are used to. I had a black g/f for five years and here in London no one seemed to give a damn. Outside London we'd get the occasional glance but no one ever said anything.

So if all you're getting is people staring at you now and then - well, let 'em, they'll get over it. So long as no one's coming up with offensive remarks, who cares? Besides, it could just be that people are thinking, "Wow, what a good-looking couple!"

Answer 6

You are right, it happens to my sister a lot, she is blond and very fair, her partner is jamaican, people do stare, it has got worse now that they have a baby, people will now stare when she is on her own with her baby, its sad really because people are so narrow minded, we live in a multi cultural world where people should not be judged by there colour or preferences.

Answer 7

I should think it is fear and by that i mean fear of their particular race is disappearing IE if all white woman procreated with black men i think you will find that over ninety nine point nine percent of the off spring would in deed be black.This would obviously Lead to an eventual extinction of the white race which people like the nation of Islam would welcome with glee

Answer 8

White women think emotionally and men think logically. Emotionally a woman dont care what others think. Logically a man knows the hardships that can be impossed by an interacial relationship in society and weighs the pros and cons.

Answer 9

apart from the usual answers of fascism, take a look at cabbage white butterfly boring as for the peacock butterfly it turns heads.also take a look at the bird world mail and female are different, it adds character and interest to the world. try and think positive thoughts of the people looking, smile
also women are always more noticeable aren't they :)

Answer 10

it truly is not significant if he/she is grotesque. they got here upon one yet another. i'm in an interracial relationship myself. i'm black and he's white. the two one persons has flaws yet he's each and every thing i've got dreamed of in a guy. He makes me happy. Screw each and every person else!!!! i admire my toddler.