I feel that that the partnership of two souls who resonate and/or who feel that they have a destiny together is what works in marriage. I don’t think that there is or should be any issue about intermarriage. However given the past traumatic history of Canadians of Japanese ancestry, it’s possible that trauma had an impact on intermarriage. Therefore it’s an interesting question.
When I grew up in the 60’s and 70s, standards of outer attractiveness, beauty and handsomeness were those of white models, actors and actresses seen on television. There are so many elements in partnering but physical attraction is one of them. Generally we trust who and what we know which includes their outer appearance and if you’re surrounded by white people your whole life, including in the media who are you going to be attracted to because in some way you’ve been brainwashed.
I’ve read research papers attributing the high rate of intermarriage of Americans and Canadians of Japanese ancestry to white people after post war dispersal of Canadians and Americans of Japanese ancestry to not meeting others of their heritage. And I’m sure that’s true. Even though, probably like many others who were assimilated or trying to assimilate into white culture, as I was growing up, I never imagined marrying a Japanese or Asian person. However, I ended up marrying an Asian, because he was/is a beautiful soul.
I spoke in an earlier question about discovering that I had trauma resulting in internalized racism. Prior to and in the ensuing years, since this insight about myself, I’ve heard those in my generation saying that they had never even considered dating an Asian. Or that they had decided that they would never marry a Japanese or Asian. One said that would it would set them back in their social progress. These can all be symptoms of internalized racism.
As a result of my own internalized racism and listening to others comments, I believe that internalized racism as a result of both ancestral trauma and present life trauma could be a factor in the high rate of intermarriage. I’ve looked for research papers on the explanation for internalized racism as a possible explanation for the high rate of intermarriage. They may exist but I haven’t found one yet. Judging by my own experience, it’s a challenge to admit to oneself that you’re a racist against people of your own ancestral lineage so it may or may not be a challenge to find people who would self identify as having internalized racism. It would be an interesting research project!
I started this section by saying that I don’t think there should be any issue with intermarriage and will return to that. As a biologist, I know that genetic diversity increases the strength of any population or community. We are one human race but we still don’t recognize it. Instead we keep repeating patterns of discrimination based on skin colour and culture. Intermarriage has happened for millenia as we see when people have DNA tests. With globalization there is now far more intermarriage. When an individual has a multi ethnic background, and wants to know and participate in all of their heritage cultures, all the communities that they participate in are strengthened. Perhaps, intermarriage maybe one of the evolutionary steps we’ve chosen as a species for eliminating racism.
