Kallie Larsen / Staff Photographer

Racial differences are only skin-deep when it comes to relationships. And while some people look for comfort in a partner with the same race and background, they may be surprised to find distinct similarities of a person from a different culture.

In the mid-1900s, it was looked down upon to date someone of a different race, and many people were often ridiculed for doing so. America has been seen as a “melting pot,” where people of all races and religions have joined together to become one nation. There are still some people who consider interracial relationships ethically wrong, but in today’s society interracial relationships have become more common.

Most people who are involved in this type of relationship are still surrounded by racism, which more often than not comes from friends and family members, according to the article “About Racism in Interracial Dating,” by Isabel Prontes.

According to graphic design junior Delia Torres, she has been in an interracial relationship before, and has experienced being disapproving public glances. She said that she had never experienced any problems in her relationship, and their racial differences did not affect what they shared as a couple. This stigma attached to interracial dating of having a “different” relationship from other people is not necessarily true. In actuality, the person’s skin color or background does not matter, but instead it is the love and trust they share that counts.

College campuses today are relatively diverse and are continuing to accept people from different backgrounds. According to the article “Attitudes and Behaviors of College Students towards Interracial Dating,” by Nicole R. Goforth at Loyola University, many college students say they have no problem with interracial relationships and it is generally accepted in today’s society. The article also explains that many students’ opinions are often influenced by their parents’ beliefs, and if their parents do not approve of interracial dating, then students may have a negative attitude toward it as well.

Goforth also conducted an experiment to see if there was a correlation between students’ behaviors and parental influences. She took a convenience sample of 100 college students who were 18 years or older; the experiment consisted of a matching exercise and written survey to assess the students’ opinions on the subject. In Goforth’s results, she found males were more open to an interracial relationship and parents were more accepting of such relationships than the students themselves were willing to participate in. An interesting result of this experiment was the males seemed to be more willing to experience an interracial relationship than females were. However, the reasons for these differences may result from one’s personal beliefs and opinions, not necessarily from gender groups as a whole.

Deciding to be in involved with someone from another ethnic background can be a complex decision, but race should not be a deciding factor. Once a relationship with a solid foundation has been formed, a couple has a better ability to focus on the relationship and not on what people think about them. Being in this type of relationship can broaden perspectives on life and other cultures. Not only are interracial couples able to share their different backgrounds, but they are also able to appreciate different cultures and other people.