28th Annual Student Research Conference
Dating and Race Among Mixed-Race Individuals
Indran A. Fernando
Dr. Anton Daughters, Faculty Mentor
While interracial marriages are on the rise, relatively little research has been conducted among mixed-race individuals. Through in-depth qualitative interviewing, data was collected from 10 mixed-race subjects. Research questions address mixed-race identity, standards of beauty, and racial preferences in dating. While many subjects acknowledge dating people of various backgrounds, few conclusive dating patterns are reported. Interestingly, some respondents described a broadening of their standards of beauty following exposure to persons of different ethnic backgrounds. Data presented here suggest that a mixed race individual's standards of beauty may be particularly apt to broadening over time. This would underscore the fluidity or ambiguity of mixed-race identity.
Keywords: Mixed-race identity, Gender and race, Critical mixed race studies, Dating
Topic(s):African-American Studies
Asian-American Studies
Women's and Gender Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 115-2
Location: MG 1098
Time: 8:15