XKCD same-sex marriage graph

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slhuang

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http://xkcd.com/1431/

Thought this was fascinating. Our courts are so far behind here in the States.

Also, when I look at where the "public opinion for interracial marriage" line was the year my parents got married, I kinda wanna throw up. :(
 

Roxxsmom

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Wow, so 50% of people really disapproved of interracial marriage until 1990? That's horrifying. I suspect it was higher here in CA, where a reasonable number of couples are of different racial backgrounds and have been for some time. They definitely weren't as publicly outspoken on the issue (and didn't spend as much time whining about how the courts had shoved it down their throats).

I wonder if the outspokenness of the opponents on this issue is down to the religious "justification" for being against universal marriage rights? It gives the haters a somewhat sympathetic reason besides "I'm prejudiced," and even allows them to say, "Our rights are being trampled too!"

I think that one of the biggest things that makes people more accepting is actually knowing someone who fits the profile that people are opposed to.
 
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slhuang

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Yeah, I'm sure the percentages were very different depending on which region you were in in the U.S.. And I'm guessing people in the "against interracial marriage" pockets didn't see themselves as hateful, but, if they were asked the question, thought it wasn't really an "appropriate" thing or some such . . .

Like same-sex marriage now. Sigh. People don't have to see themselves as vocal haters to still be party to oppression. :(

But yeah. I look at that graph and I think how old I was in the 90's and am grateful I grew up in a diverse state where it wasn't an issue. And I'm crazy grateful that nobody in my parents' families were against my parents' match. (Interestingly, a lot of people in my mom's family are crazy conservative, and almost all my aunts and uncles married interracially and no one ever batted an eye. Just goes to show that people don't always fit stereotypes! They haven't been tested on same-sex unions yet, but I actually feel reasonably confident that wouldn't be an issue for them either. I'm pretty proud of them that way. :))
 

J.S.F.

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Interesting graph showing the changes (and some very slow changes at that) over time. But it's not surprising at all. I'm sure it varied state by state, but also by religion and perhaps sects within each religion.

My parents (both gone now, sadly) got married in 1956. Both white, Jewish, and neither of them particularly religious. Mother was from Conn. originally, moved to New York and then Florida. Father from Toronto. Back then, one usually didn't marry out of one's faith or religion. Sure, it happened, but not very widely. Partially for religious reasons, I expect, but also for cultural or ethnic reasons.

Whatever, I was born in 1962 and lived through the early years of social change. Some parts were good and some bad, IMO, and when I got married (1997) things had changed even more. My mother met my wife (Japanese) and liked her, and when our first son was born, my mother said only one word when she held him: "Perfect."

Good enough for me.
 

SWest

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It's illustrations like this one that drive home the bankruptcy of the whole Hang On, Wait Until Everyone Settles Down...Then You Can Have Your Piece Of Cake rhetoric.

There will always be a significant number of people who won't esteem everyone equally...and who might gain enough political power to maintain an unequal status quo indefinitely.

I live in a "liberal/progressive" state, yet still hear regular (unsolicited) lectures about how people should Keep To Their Own.

And where Catholic priests are still holding anti-marriage-equality meetings to distribute printed handouts about how Teh Gay will get all over everyone and break the world.
 

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I believe "interracial marriage" on the chart in the original post refers specifically to Black/White interracial marriage. I don't know if any other "interracial" marriages were ever illegal in the U.S. Anyone know?
 
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Roxxsmom

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Yeah, I'm sure the percentages were very different depending on which region you were in in the U.S.. And I'm guessing people in the "against interracial marriage" pockets didn't see themselves as hateful, but, if they were asked the question, thought it wasn't really an "appropriate" thing or some such . . .

Like same-sex marriage now. Sigh. People don't have to see themselves as vocal haters to still be party to oppression. :(

But yeah. I look at that graph and I think how old I was in the 90's and am grateful I grew up in a diverse state where it wasn't an issue. And I'm crazy grateful that nobody in my parents' families were against my parents' match. (Interestingly, a lot of people in my mom's family are crazy conservative, and almost all my aunts and uncles married interracially and no one ever batted an eye. Just goes to show that people don't always fit stereotypes! They haven't been tested on same-sex unions yet, but I actually feel reasonably confident that wouldn't be an issue for them either. I'm pretty proud of them that way. :))

One of my best friends in college was embroiled in a family drama where her older brother moved in with his girlfriend, then married her. His mother cut him off, and part of the reason for this, at least, was that she (the girlfriend) was of a different racial background than her son (he was white, and she was of Chinese and Japanese heritage, something her own grandparents had been less than thrilled about back in the day). My friend's mother claimed she wasn't prejudiced, but she felt "like should marry like."

There were probably a lot of other people, even in CA, at the time who didn't think it should be illegal, but would still not be happy if their own kid married someone of a different race or culture, or who thought "it's just not a good idea."

Not sure if the "being against" in the against interracial marriage poll above means specifically thinking it should be illegal, or just disapproving on a personal level.

But with same-sex marriage, it seems like most of the detractors do still want it to be illegal. This may shift when (as in the 1990s for interracial marriage) it's been legal for decades, but not commonplace. Maybe it's a general reluctance of people to change the status quo. Though there's been a pretty intense shift in public opinion, even in the US, in the past decade or so.

And yes, the "I'm not prejudiced, but I think they're pushing for too much, too fast, and too soon" argument against same-sex marriage seems to be thoroughly debunked. Though I still run across it sometimes, even on other boards here on AW.
 
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benbradley

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Not sure if the "being against" in the against interracial marriage poll above means specifically thinking it should be illegal, or just disapproving on a personal level.
I've had that sort of problem with other polls I've seen reported in the news.

Maybe it's easier to think up better questions in retrospect, but this can be split up into into two questions that should get the sentiment:

Would you approve of your son or daughter marrying someone of another race?

Do you think interracial marriage should be illegal?
 

J.S.F.

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Maybe it's easier to think up better questions in retrospect, but this can be split up into into two questions that should get the sentiment:

Would you approve of your son or daughter marrying someone of another race?

Do you think interracial marriage should be illegal?
--

I'd agree with this way of phrasing things. It's more concise.
 

Roxxsmom

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Polls are often worded in ways that just makes me cringe and make me want to check "none of the above," even if doing so would give the wrong impression about what I really think.
 

AndreF

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Interesting chart indeed. My friend was telling me not to long ago that people were still giving he and wife hell for being an interracial couple ... then again my state is far behind the times. Some folks in my family will kick my ass if I date white.
 
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J.S.F.

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Interesting chart indeed. My friend was telling me not to long ago that people were still giving he and wife hell for being an interracial couple ... then again my state is far behind the times. Some folks in my family will kick my ass if I date white.

---

I don't want to guess which state you live in. I've been living in Japan half my life, been married since 1997, and people still give me and my wife looks. Some days I just want to go postal...but remind myself that looking out of metal bars is not the way to do things...
 
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