For many years in America, it was expected one would marry within one’s own group. This included people of the same religion, same ethnic group, and same “race”. In homogeneous cultures, this is not a concern at all – everyone is within the group.  However, in heterogeneous cultures, that is certainly not the case. 

In America, some places in the country certainly do have people who may “have something to say”, regarding interracial marriages (which were against the law in some states until 1967). My husband is African American and I am Euro-American. We have also experienced some issues over the past years (married 37 years, together since we were 16), as have our children. Our immediate families, however, have been our rocks, our safe places. 

Class, this brings to mind our notions of “racial category”. I know my children are not conflicted about this. They write in “human” when asked to state their “race”, as do myself and my husband. I’ve been questioned a few times upon review of a form I filled out, and stood my ground (outside the box, of course!). What are your thoughts about these categories?