The celebrity world offers up plenty of examples.
Rapper and talk show host EverevealedonThe Talkthat shes been having some uncomfortable conversations with her white husband.
It wasnt too long ago that loving someone from a different racial background was a crime in this country.
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The landmark Supreme Court caseLoving v. Virginiastruck down state bans on interracial marriage in 1967.
Now interracial relationships are growing in number.
Every relationship, interracial or not, comes withits own issues.
Their responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Lewis, 47, and Melissa, 41, have been married for 12 years and have two children.
The two had a chance meeting in a clothing store in Philadelphia where Melissa was a sales associate.
SELF: What is it like to be in an interracial relationship in America today?
Lewis:Nothing has changed in terms of ourrelationship.
I think that the biggest impact has been explaining race issues to our kids.
SELF: Its been 53 years since theLovingdecision granted people the right to marry interracially.
Do you think interracial relationships have made strides?
So, yes, in that regard I would like to think that strides have been made.
I still cannot believe that those rights were only very recently extended to theLGBTQ community.
SELF: Have you ever experiencedespecially at this critical timenegative reactions to your marriage because of your races?
Lewis:We havent.
SELF: What are some of the cultural differences that you have noticed in your relationship?
I am a third-generation Chinese American.
With each successive generation, some of my Chinese culture has become more diluted.
To the extent that I can, we keep the traditions and celebrations that were important to my grandparents.
We celebrate Chinese New Year and teach the kids how to make some traditional dishes.
We recognize the MLK holiday, Black History Month, and Juneteenth.
SELF: Marriage is tough.
Do you think the added layer of race exacerbates marital issues?
Lewis:Not for us.
We pretty much see eye to eye on issues of race.
Yes, marriage is tough.
SELF: What has been the most challenging aspect of your interracial relationship thus far?
Those have been the most challenging moments for me.
SELF: Did you have any fears about marrying outside of your respective races?
Lewis:Fear of marrying outside my race never crossed my mind.
Melissa:If anything, I had a fear about not being accepted by Lewiss family.
SELF: What steps have you taken to help your kids navigate this world?
Lewis:Our kids are nine and seven.
I would like to be more intentional about having them interact with Black people.
They havent had the experience that I had of growing up in Black neighborhoods.
I do make my son go to the barber, though.
Ive been going to the barber since I was 13 or 14 years old.
Thats part of the experience, as we like to say.
Thats where people discuss these issues.
I wish there were more outlets like that.
I think its necessary.
Our children also do not fit conveniently into anyones stereotypical race box.
We are grateful that God made us that way.
Lewis:I think about my son and how he is going to be viewed.
Part of the reason why I havent is because I dont know what his experience will be.
I dont know if people are going to view him as Black.
I do want my kids to know that Im doing that and know why I am doing that.
Melissa:To give you some context of our relationship, you know the showFresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Im Will and hes Carlton.
SELF: What is one thing youd want people to know about being in an interracial couple?
Lewis:If you love someone, then their race shouldnt matter.
If anything, our interracial bond makes us and our family unique.
We view ourselves as husband and wife.
Others should view us no differently.
Melissa:Live and let live.
Love and let love.
Darrell, 40, and Emmanuel, 35, have been married for eight months.
Darrell, a tech executive, identifies as Black.
Emmanuel, a clinical therapist, identifies as Mexican.
They like to say they met the old-fashion way: in the gym.
Darrell:It has brought about much-needed conversations in our house.
I was in shock, angry, numb, and frustrated.
So in the end, I believe it actually brought us closer.
Even so, this representation is limited in my opinion.
SELF: What issues do you face as a gay interracial couple?
We see more interracial relationships in the gay community than in the general population.
One issue we recently faced happened with the purchase of our first home.
It was a new feeling for both of us.
Darrell:My family is having a hard time coming to terms with it all.
Emmanuel:Fortunately, I have not experienced any negative reactions to our marriage.
SELF: What are some of the cultural differences that you have noticed in your relationship?
How do you navigate them?
Darrell:I think we both really embrace each others traditions and customs from both of our cultures.
Emmanuel has taught me a lot about the Mexican culture, and Ive definitely exposed him to Black culture.
Its been beautiful to understand all the things that make us who we are as individuals.
Ive learned to be patient and provide time for him to understand my struggles.
It was really eye-opening to understand some of the daily struggles he experiences.
It does take some time for me to process everything.
Why or why not?
Emmanuel:Absolutely not.
SELF: Is there ever a moment when youre are not as aware of being in an interracial couple?
Emmanuel has noticed that Im treated differently in stores or restaurants or when we check in to hotels overseas.
The stares and disregard of my humanity occur more often than not when we travel.
SELF: You currently dont have kids.
But being in a gay interracial relationship is just as normal as any other relationship.
They met through friends of friends on the corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue in New York.
Jordan:I feel like she has a lot of guilt and needs to apologize to me daily.
I think I have the upper hand.
Jokes aside, I couldnt ask for a better mate.
Alina grew up demographically more culturally enriched than I did.
She was one of the only white children in her grammar school.
I really think that diversity offers a certain kind of intellect.
Alina:I think its like and unlike otherrelationships.
There is then the added layer of us communicating across our distinct cultures and experiences.
Jordan:I do think interracial relationships have definitely made strides.
It goes from it being acknowledged by the highest court in the land to where it is now.
Our neighbors are an interracial couple.
Thats the second thing I think about when I think of them.
The first is, Oh, wow, theyre so loud.
You should have these honest talks within an interracial relationship if you want it to last.
Alina:My fear is that the culture will change but systems dont change.
Ifsystemic racismdoesnt change, that still doesnt get us very far.
Its been imprinted on my mind because she didnt see us as a family.
But we are very careful about the places we go to.
We go to major cities and places where you expect a little more open-mindedness.
I know how to take white people in every one of their moods.
I am married to one.
I grew up with them.
Alina:Jordans family is amazing.
They are so wonderful and accepting.
My parents are very out-there hippies and radicals, and we grew up going toprotestsand demonstrations.
They were like, Great, its Jordan.
But I also think its very important and almost rebellious to raise them withjoy.
Them growing up in an environment where they feel loved is super important to me.
Alina:Once we had kids, me being conscious of what that means.
So I feel extra worried that I will mess up our daughters identity and her sense of self.
I ask myself: Is she around enough Black people?
Am I affirming that part of herself enough?
Jordan:I did have some thoughts.
I had been with a woman of color before Alina, and in college I had Black girlfriends.
But then I realized I cant worry about those people.
hey live your life.
Alina:I didnt, but I grew up dating across races.
Jordan:The eight hours of the night were sleeping.
No, thats a good question.
I live with insecurities of my optics as the Black dad.
If Im on the playground, people watch me.
Sometimes those feelings are founded and other times unfounded, but it stays with me.
Jordan:She is often like, Be careful out there.
I can hear it in her voice.
I forget, right?
Because I move through the world in a much different way.
Get ready for knowing all about all the fruits and berries in season.
I never understood why you would want to hang around someone exactly like you.
