What’s wrong with Purple Birds?

Bethany Cooper

We all hold some opinion of what’s “acceptable” for interaction with other races. On Greater Good, it is said that the four stages in having a prosperous cross-race relationship were as follows: 1. Racial awareness, 2. Coping with social definitions of race, 3. Identity emergence, and 4. Maintenance.[1] But why are there “social circumstances”?

Why must a happy couple have to deal with what society expects of them? Even more bothering, why do some feel it’s okay to befriend those of another race, yet dating is totally out of the question? I’m here to say – we are all human. I see nothing wrong with humans dating humans, regardless of skin differentiation. The ignorance I hear towards cross-race dating actually baffles me. I was with a few friends one time, and (not knowing my opinion of the idea) one of the people I was with said these words “Humans are like birds. There’s blue birds, and there’s red birds. You don’t see any purple birds flying around do you? Stay with your birds.” I’m here to challenge that statement. What’s wrong with purple birds?

I was appalled. I believe two people who are happy together, have the right to be happy, together. Who’s to say what’s wrong or right? Did you know, it wasn’t until 1967 that it was even legal to marry outside of your race? I find it sickening that one could view someone different than their own self as simply inferior. Your ignorance actually makes your opinions inferior. It has been shown that up to 5% of American marriages are cross-racial.[2] The amount of those who wish to date outside of their race but are too afraid is far higher! Society tells us to be direct and unafraid but how can we do so if we fear the judgment of our family and friends? The amount of discrimination I faced for dating outside of my race was something I never thought about beforehand. I lost friends, and respect. For what though? Underneath, we are all just bones.[3] I’m challenging society to take a different view. If a couple is happy, why must you stare and laugh? Don’t call someone a dirty name simply because they see all races as equal. Society needs to welcome purple birds. I mean the United States is the melting pot right? Let’s love one another, equally.

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[1] Page-Gould, Elizabeth. "Research on Cross-Race Relationships: An Annotated Bibliography." (online forum message). Greater Good. July 1, 2004. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/cross-race_relationships_an_annotated_bibliography

[2] Walker, Erin. "INTERRACIAL COUPLES: THE IMPACT OF RACE AND GENDER ON ONE’S EXPERIENCE OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE RACE OF THE PARTNER." master\., Graduate School of the University of Maryland, 2005. http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/2556/1/umi-umd-2440.pdf.

[3] Coffey, Sarah. "Underneath, we are all just bones." The Race Card Project (blog), http://theracecardproject.com/underneath-just-bones/ (accessed January 31, 2014).