Though the notion that racial mixing is undesirable has arisen at different points in history, it gained particular prominence in Europe during the era of colonialism. The term miscegenation entered the English language in the 19th century as racial segregation began to become more formalized in the United States. It was used specifically to refer to interracial marriage and interracial sexual relations. Although the term "miscegenation" was formed from the Latin miscere "to mix" plus genus "race" or "kind", and could therefore be perceived as value-neutral, it is almost always used in a negative way, as something to be avoided, punished or outlawed. More neutral terms for mixed-race relationships, such as "interracial", "interethnic", or even " cross-cultural " are more common in contemporary usage.
Love across the divide: interracial relationships growing in Britain
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Interracial marriage is a form of marriage outside a specific social group exogamy involving spouses who belong to different races or racialized ethnicities. In the past, such marriages were outlawed in the United States and in South Africa as miscegenation. It became legal throughout the United States in , following the decision of the U. Virginia , which ruled that race-based restrictions on marriages, such as the anti-miscegenation law in the state of Virginia , violated the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. Many jurisdictions have had regulations banning or restricting not just interracial marriage but also interracial sexual relations, including Germany during the Nazi period , South Africa under apartheid , and many states in the United States prior to a Supreme Court decision. Often couples in intercultural marriages face barriers that most married couples of the same culture are not exposed to.
Photos of 19th century interracial couples are incredible examples of love triumphing over law
Interracial relationships are becoming more common, but are still relatively rare. Speaking to the couples themselves reveals that such unions face distinct challenges. Richard Bashir Otukoya has some bad relationship stories. Most of us have, but his are different. His voice quivers and cracks as he describes a doomed romance with a woman in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
The election of Barack Obama as the US's first black president was hailed as a historic milestone on a long and painful road to racial reconciliation after hundreds of years of slavery. But when will America get a black Bachelor? The hit ABC television show — in which an eligible male chooses a mate from a bevy of buxom ladies — is now in its 14th season. For every one of those seasons, he has been white.