https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn A mix of races & faiths en-us 2016-08-11 11:21:13 UTC 2025-10-26 05:34:01 UTC hello@padlet.com emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118075138 John Safran - Australian comedian on all things politics and religion. He did a television series called 'race relations' questioning inter-racial relationships, stemming from his own quandary of being a Jew, yet consistently being attracted to Eurasians, and battling the judgements from family and friends  because he wasn't sticking to his 'own kind'!

]]> 2016-08-12 01:56:23 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118075138 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118081650 2016-08-12 03:43:16 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118081650 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118108300 2016-08-12 11:47:13 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118108300 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118171400
The essentialist theory reflects "deep-seated, inalterable essence and is indicative of traits and ability. Versus the social constructionist theory which states that race is socially constructed, malleable, and arbitrary. (Hong, Chao & No. 2009)

The essentialists believe that the biological body determines the social order; so they would say that skin colour and sex for instance, are the main factors that distinguish the social hierarchy between races.

I would side with the social constructionists as I agree that race is 100% socially constructed due to my own personal experiences. But this social construction has many 'real' condequences such as racism, and therefore for one to choose to date or marry outside their own race or religion, can expect that not everyone will be best pleased.

DeMello (2014, p. 214) states 'Races are artificial categories of people that are distinguished from each other on a basis of arbitrary critera - like skin colour or eye-shape. Those groups are then ranked in a graded hierarchy".

DeMello, M. 2014. Body studies. Retrieved from http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.une.edu.au/(S(zihsj0eudy24lg1leop1ckuw))/Reader.aspx?p=1582664&o=93&u=cvA%2fUCYurw4O%2bIu6BeXZAg%3d%3d&t=1471059244&h=74785188CAF2BAFDC558FB8F86F91B7C6D149CA2&s=27044474&ut=238&pg=212&r=img&c=-1&pat=n&cms=-1&sd=1#

Hong, Chao, No. 2009. Dynamic Interracial/Intercultural Processes: The Role of Lay Theories of Race. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00582.x/full

]]> 2016-08-13 03:42:20 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118171400 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118172133 I myself am mixed race (previously known as half-caste, although this term is now considered offensive to many - proving the fluidity of political correctness and how it is constantly changing!). Born in England along with both of my parents, my mother is white and father is black. His parents both coming from Dominica in the Caribbean. I grew up in a small town in England with my mum and step-dad (also black with west indies heritage too) where most people were white. My step-dad was the only black man in town for about 12 years, therefore my brother and I were the only mixed race kids in school. I didn't experience racism in a negative form, but was definitely racialised by others. People assumed I was American, and did things, like came and touched my afro hair and called me frizzy! My brother however did experience racism and still to this day remembers being called a chocolate orange at school. 

What was interesting is that, whenever I went to visit my biological father in the holidays, that side of my family would always think I was too white and I guess not black enough culturally, which I guess I wasn't as I grew up around white people mostly, but when I would go home, I instantly felt black again! So from my first hand experience, i 100% agree that race is a social construction, and at times I guess it was a bit challenging for me, finding where to fit in. 

I have been in relationships with white and black men and eventually married an Asian man (Filipino) when I moved to Australia. My kids are therefore a mix of three different races (White, Black, Asian), so no doubt they will experience some form of racism and or/racialisation at some point in their lives, and go through similar circumstances that I myself went through. 

Luckily my family and my Husbands family are very open and were welcoming on both sides to accept each others cultures, but I have friends whose parents completely opposed their relationships. One friend of mine is South African Indian, and she was with a Fiji Indian. The Fiji Indian parents ended up sabotaging their relationship as they wanted their son to be with someone who was also Fiji Indian, irrespective of the fact they were both Indian!!


]]> 2016-08-13 04:32:56 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118172133 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118172812 This is a picture of my Brother, Maternal Grandparents, Mum and Step-Dad! Lovely colours! 

As a side note - My Mum was scared to tell her Dad (a strict senior superintendent in the Police Force) that she was pregnant with a man she wasn't married to, and that the baby would be 'mixed race', i.e. ME! He was elated when I was born however, quashing her concerns over his conservative upbringing, and fearing he would somehow reject me!]]> 2016-08-13 05:18:47 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118172812 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118189618 Given that there is no biological basis to race (Duncan, 2016), then why is it that interracial relationships are such an issue within certain races and religions such as with Indians, Jews, Chinese and Muslims for example. ]]> 2016-08-14 01:19:44 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118189618 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118191052 Kim is of Armenian/ Dutch, English, Irish, Scottish & Kanye is African America and in my opinion they make a stunning couple!]]> 2016-08-14 02:44:05 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118191052 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194136 2016-08-14 05:55:45 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194136 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194254 This YouTube clip tells the story of an Arab man who pretended to be a Jewish Bachelor in order to have sex with a Jewish girl in Israel, was sentenced to 18 months in Prison in Israel for 'rape by deception'. 
In Israel there are a group of men called 'fire for Judaism' whose sole purpose is to stop relations from occurring between the local Jewish girls and the Arab men. They have a 24 hour hotline set up with counselors on call, for family and friends to call and inform them of someone they suspect or know to be having interfaith relations. ]]> 2016-08-14 06:08:41 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194254 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194327 If something is Taboo, it means it is discouraged, forbidden or seen as wrong within societal norms. For instance, many places, religions and cultures find interracial relationships as taboo. They are either forbidden or highly discouraged. 
For many people, they can experience being critised, ostracised and can be the target of racism, all because they have chosen to be with someone outside of their race, religion or culture.


]]> 2016-08-14 06:15:31 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194327 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194901 This article discusses Will Smith's latest hollywood film 'Focus', and the unspoken interracial affair between him and fellow actress Margot Robbie.
It talks about films with interracial romances as the lead roles are usually short lived, as the world is still 'coming around' to the idea of interracial relations.

Ifeanyi, K. 2015.
The Last Taboo: Will Smith, "Focus," And Hollywood's Interracial Couples Problem. Fast Company. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/3043046/the-recommender/the-last-taboo-will-smith-focus-and-hollywoods-interracial-couples-problem

]]> 2016-08-14 07:06:13 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118194901 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118195112 By 2050 will we all look Brazillian? 

That's the question!
The National Geographic's research on race relations found that due to the rate of interracial relationships increasing, humans will eventually homogenize and we will all end up looking like mixed-race Brazillians!]]> 2016-08-14 07:21:59 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118195112 emmadevin https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118195330 Photographer decided to photograph interracial relationships and asked them to include one negative comment they have heard being said about their relationship.

Interestingly a lot of the photos where there is a black man with a white woman, has a comment underneath coming from a black woman referring to the white women stealing their men. 

Finley, 2015. Interracial Couples Share The Insults They’ve Experienced In Insightful Photo Series. The Huffington Post Australia. http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/interracial-couples-share-the-insults-theyve-experienced-in-insightful-photo-series_us_560ecface4b0dd85030be6c7]]> 2016-08-14 07:35:38 UTC https://padlet.com/emmadevin/feeucm25pstn/wish/118195330