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Are Interracial Couples Deliberately Ommitted Onscreen?

Posted by Sidney, 06 Mar

The struggle for interracial couples to be seen onscreen is still real despite the Loving film garnering a nomination for actress Ruth Negga this year. Much as the census reports a record growth rate of interracial marriages and relationships, their representation onscreen doesn’t match these numbers. Very few such couples make it on the big screen.

The number of interracial couples on TV shows has increased greatly, thanks to shows like "Modern Family", "Black-ish" among others. Producer Shonda Rhimes has also played a major role in ensuring her shows capture this reality that most want to shun. But when it comes to film, there is still a rarity in such couples.

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The thing is, when interracial couples make it on the big screen, what is highlighted is how ‘abnormal’ they are. What is highlighted in interracial intimacy is rape and suppression like in the case of “12 years a slave” where black women were sexually abused by white men. In contemporary settings what their cultural differences and how the couple receive resistance from family members drive the story. Every time the issue of RACE remains center stage. RACE is the story.

This year, filmmaker Jordan Peele brought a horror spin into his meet-the-parents film “Get Out”. But even here, the race issue still came to play. In the film, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) who is black asks his white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams)[pictured couple], if her parents know whether he is black, worried he might “get chased off the lawn with a shotgun.” When he calls his black friend Rod, he mentions how “white people love making people sex slaves.” Turns out the horror story highlights racial appropriation.

Big question remains: Why can’t interracial couples onscreen – especially black-white couples – be left to exist in their own right? Why do the stories always have to bring in the racial aspect and cultural differences of such couples? Can’t we just have a different central element of the narrative arc other than race?

The omission and rarity of these couples onscreen depict how people don’t acknowledge or are in denial about the existence and the growth rate of interracial relationships. It shows how the film industry still wants to insist on racial separation.

We need to stop letting race cloud how we interpret things around us. We need to let interracial couples, both off-screen and onscreen exist in their own right. JUST AS COUPLES.

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6 responses to "Are Interracial Couples Deliberately Ommitted Onscreen?"

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  1.   IamBond says:
    Posted: 24 Apr 17

    To some extent - yes. It depends on what kind. There plenty producers out there who are just influenced by what that believe society will think. They're afraid the movie will not sell, so they conform. It's no different from modern everyday society.

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  2.   Paganinifan says:
    Posted: 24 Mar 17

    Holly-liberal-wood are hypocrites to the 10th power. On one hand, they're liberal (equal rights for all (liberals)) while on the other hand, they still project their true feelings/thoughts in the movies they make.

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  3.   The_Dude says:
    Posted: 08 Mar 17

    AMC's The walking dead, highest rating show going, might want to check that out sometime. 2 interracial relationships in the main cast.

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    • Paganinifan says:
      Posted: 24 Mar 17

      Exactly! And they aren't playing the race card about it either. "Richonne" is the best thing to happen on TV. Danai Gurrira (so?) is so beautiful it's ridiculous. I met Norman Reedus. Awesome guy. I was actually hoping it would be Daryl and Michonne that became a couple on the show. The two badasses of the group.

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    • Paganinifan says:
      Posted: 24 Mar 17

      I hate autospell...I meant (sp?) cuz I'm sure I messed up the spelling of her last name.

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  4.   redalert1450 says:
    Posted: 08 Mar 17

    No they are not. There are more onscreen now than ever.

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