Since 1980, the number of interracial married couples has more than doubled from 650,000 to 1.4 million.  This is a significant number when we consider how it used to be almost a taboo in our society for mixed marriages to occur.  With that being said there are still many misconceptions out there about interracial couples.  For some reason there is still a stigma attached to these unions.  While our society has become much more accepting of such couples – we see it on television and the movies all the time – there is still a long way to go to making people in these relationships feel more at ease.  Here are five myths about interracial dating:

1. Interracial marriages are common.  Despite the rising numbers of interracial marriages, the number is still miniscule.  The number of interracial marriages, defined as a union of two people from different ethnic groups, measured only two percent of all marriages in 2001.
2. Interracial couples are only between a black person and white person.  This definition is severely lacking.  A marriage between a black person and a white person account for less than one percent of all marriages.  It is much more frequent that you’ll see a Hispanic, Asian or Native American marry outside of their ethnic grouping.
3. Interracial dating is a passing fad.  The evidence suggests that while the numbers of marriages across races are raising, albeit in small enough numbers.  It’s scary that as recently as 1967 there were fourteen states that outlawed interracial marriages.  With the racial tensions lightening in America, these numbers will increase and it’s safe to say that interracial dating and marriages are here to stay.
4. Interracial relationships breed prejudice.  With the societal acceptance of interracial dating becoming widespread the overt racism that used to accompany such relationships is decreasing.  There are many examples of interracial couples on television and in the movies which has made it easier for people to accept these couples.  The prejudice that does exist usually comes from the families involved.
5. If you date out of your race you can’t be a racist.  This is completely false as many interracial relationships arise from racist beliefs.  The stereotype that Asian women exist to please men is something that many Asian women have to encounter everyday on the dating circuit.  A racist is someone that whole-heartedly believes these stereotypes and for them to actively seek out a partner because of these beliefs is a scary though.

This article is contributed by Heather Johnson, who regularly writes on the topic of dating sites. She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.