Celebrities do it too...

Think you are all alone in this interracial dating thing? ..Guess again! Many of our favorite actors and singers are doing it too...

I don't know about you, but it makes me feel more at ease to know I'm not the only one with the "fever", ha. I feel interracial dating is becoming more and more of a trend, and whether people like it or not, it's happening; I don't see it stopping anytime soon. I feel as though I'm apart of a movement, a revolution sort of a sort, to bringing people together. Dating outside your race is not always easy, in fact, there are additional obstacles that couples face on top of the obstacles already expected in a relationship. Who would have thought the difference in the shade of skin can stir up so much controversy? In the past I often pondered how much easier things might have been if I had stayed dating within my race (not that I've consciously made a decision to stray) and today I respond to that with, "Nothing worth something in life ever comes easy", which I believe whole heartily. For whatever reason this is how I love. I've questioned it for along enough, and now I am ready to embrace it. Done answering to other people, explaining and feeling bad. I am taking all necessary steps toward loving me and who I am. The way I love is a part of me, not all of me.

Going back to my introduction with celebrities also being on the interracial bandwagon, I mentioned I find comfort in this. I think it's great that the people we idolize not only for their talent, can also be people we genuinely relate to and help us get through difficult times. I can remember when I was about 12 years old, I watched a televised interview with singer, Mariah Carey, where she discussed her childhood and what it was like growing up as a bi-racial child. Something she said that I'll never forget was that she felt as though she never really fit in at school with the kids as she was too "white" for the black kids and too "black" for the white kids. I was instantly able to relate to her and for the most growing up I stayed neutral in terms of friendships. As I got older things became a little easier and I realized I didn't necessarily have to choose between the two races, rather it was more about making adjustments.

Perhaps you think I've strayed from my point in terms of celebrities and interracial dating as opposed to bi-racial celebrities, however, I feel the two are related because I think if you're bi-racial the group that tends to accept you more, makes sense that it would also became the group in which you date. I would say for the majority of my upbringing I have been more able to relate to white people, not so as to say I felt completely comfortable. However, you know the old saying, "get in where you fit it", and that is what I did.

Recently I came across a new artist Angel Taylor, who not only caught my ear with her beautiful voice and delicate melody, but also caught my heart with her message in one of my now favorite songs, Chai Tea Latte ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QjgcfPzi2s ). In the song she is describing a guy she has just met and instantly falls for; this guy turns out to be white. What I love the most about the song is that she doesn't make any apologies for liking him and she goes on to describe this guy as her own"Mr. Perfect". Chai Tea latte is a flavor of coffee which in the song symbolizes the mix/appearance of white and brown mixed together; making something beautiful and delicious. My favorite line of the song is:

"People might compliment our chocolate and vanilla and how it looks so good together mixed in because without you my flavor's a little plan and no one likes plain things".

The way she is able to express herself so freely makes me feel a combination of envy and relief. Envious because she doesn't appear to be ashamed of what she likes and relief because I feel like I should not feel ashamed either.

Alicia Keys's new song,"Un-thinkable" also caught my interest. The music video for it was particularly moving to me which essentially depicts the story of a black woman and white man who are/have been interested in one another for sometime but are unable to be together as neither the era nor her family allows it. However, both are ready to do the unthinkable; defy all odds and give their love a chance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhuGQUZJot8

It continues to amaze me how other people think they have a say in who people can and cannot love. The beautiful thing though about love is that it can defy odds and it does unite people. Do not ever let anyone make you feel like who and how you love is wrong because in the end all we can do is follow our hearts♥...


Check out these other interracial celebrity couples:

Robert De Niro& wife Grace Hightower

^Halle Berry & ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry

< thicke="" wife="" paula="" patton="">

< Heidi Klum &husband Seal

< Justin Bieber &Girlfriend

Khloe Kardashian &Lamar Odom

Contributing factors to Interracial Dating?

Hello Blogger &Guests,

Before I begin I would like to say from this blog forward I will refer to "African American" & "Caucasian" as black &white. I figure this is my blog and I want it to represent me, and how I normally speak; don't want it to be overly formal at all. Hopefully this does not offend anyone as it not my intentions...

So how many times have you heard that the environment in which you are brought up mold/mirror the person you become in the future? Are we all just products of our environment, or at some point do we learn to leave the comforts of home with an open mind to the diversities of the world?

I opened with this thought because it is of popular belief that people are products of their environment. I will not go as far as to say there are no loopholes within this "theory", in fact I believe there are cases in which people who have not been exposed to interracial dating/diversity growing up acquire a taste for it later, from varying influences. I will also say that while a person may not have had a diverse upbringing, if the parents always that love has no boundaries, and skin color should not determine whom we develop feelings nor the ones we decide to call friends, then this person may develop curiosities about dating outside their race as well.


Factors that may contribute to interracial dating experimentation:

• Diverse school/Neighborhood
• Interracial/Bi-racial Parent(s)
  
• Music
• Television
• Internet
• Boredom/Curiosity

My personal experiences with bi-racial parents and growing up exposed to a lot of white people (schools, neighborhood, summer camp) I believe has had a lot to do with my curiosity to explore outside my race. I can remember growing up 3 particular movies that triggered something inside me, and fed this curiosity which I later explored for the first time in high school. Those movies were:

1. The Bodyguard (1992), with actress Whitney Houston (black female)& actor Kevin Costner (white male), Houston plays Rachel, a singer who hires a bodyguard as a result of harassing letters and phone calls. Costner who plays Frank Farmer does not anticipate the beauty and soon mixes business with pleasure as he can not escape her charm and wit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bodyguard
2. A Bronx Tale (1993), with Taral Hicks (black female)& actor Lillo Brancato (white male), directed by famous actor Robert De Niro, oddly enough reflects his own experience growing up in a time where interracial dating was completely unacceptable. However, Brancato's character Calogero does not let this stop him. He instantly becomes in intrigued by a black beauty he locks eyes with while taking a ride on his father's bus. Despite his racist friends and disobliging father, Calogero chooses to explore his curiosity and began a romance with Hicks's character Jane. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bronx_Tale
3. Corina, Corina (1994), with actress Whoopi Goldberg (black female)& actor Ray Liotta (white male), set in the 60's. Goldberg's character Corina plays a nanny for Liotta's character Manny, a recent widower. As Corina becomes closer with Manny's daughter Molly, through this hard time Manny becomes more enthralled by Corina's ability to connect with Molly. Before they know it a relationship starts to bloom despite his disapproving mother and neighbors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrine,_Corrina

Early on these movies taught me how difficult matters of the heart can be, especially when dating outside your race. It's important to remember that in life there are obstacles, it's inevitable but these obstacles don't always have to be deal breakers. I did not know then why these movies had so much impact on me but as I have gotten older and my personal life resemble those of the characters, I think it's an indication that things have come full circle. I continue to be inspired by interracial dating through television, music, and even real life. The more I see it the less alone I feel which is very comforting.

What other factors might contribute to interracial dating? How do you think a person's upbringing and exposure to diversity affects one's curiosity to explore outside their race??

Interracial Dating

Hello my fellow Bloggers& Guests,

My name is Aishah (i-e-sha) and this is my first blog; the topic is something very dear to me as I am an African American female who has never dated an African American man. For a long time (I still feel this way) I felt like this was a huge betrayal to black men and myself. The truth is I don't date outside my race because I think other races are better nor do I do it because I think men who aren't black have more to offer me. I have nothing negative to say about black men. The only reason I can give as to why I choose to date outside my race (with white men in specific) is nothing other than personal preference. I can't help who I am attracted to. I've always felt this is something I should be ashamed of, but as I get older and more comfortable in my own skin, I realize I'm not doing anything wrong.

One of the major reasons I chose to start a blog was to see if there were others in my same position. Does NOT necessarily mean you have to be a black female who dates white men, but rather ANYONE who is "coming to terms" with their interests in dating outside their race. I will continue blogging about the challenges/obstacles interracial couples face, as well as factors that may contribute to why people choose to date outside their race.

I want to hear your stories and feel free to ask me questions...