We often hear the term “interracial” regarding couples and marriages. But what does it actually mean?
As we move into the new year, this relatively new term takes on entirely new meanings. A nuanced and complex area, ‘interracial’ means more than just the pairing of two different races. With our increasingly diverse cultures and societies, the categories and biases of old no longer fit.
From the color of your skin to the traditions and identities of your ancestors, ‘race’ is far more than how you look. So, in an effort to reduce discrimination and racism across our world, understanding this concept is vitally important.
So let’s break it down. Let’s discuss the critical importance of understanding why, how, and whether “interracial” is still relevant in today’s ever-changing world.
Shifting Definitions of “Interracial”
Historically, the term “interracial” referred to those relationships between people that involved two or more races. While this is a little vague, it generally meant that people in easily defined categories, like Black or white, Asian or Hispanic, were paired.
As we move into 2025, however, it gets far more varied.
Rather than focusing on these narrow classifications, the term is taking on many interesting forms. Just think of the world today. People from vastly different cultures and backgrounds can meet, pair, and procreate.
Thanks to the internet, distinct cultures, ethnicities, and genetic and non-genetic identities are intermingling like never before. As the world becomes more globalized with migration and ease of access, “interracial” becomes more layered as well.
Simply consider the fact of two people who are both ‘mixed’ falling in love and having children. What if a person identifies as having multiple races and ethnicities? What if their heritage is too fluid to be limited to the traditional conceptions of race?
Given the spectrum of experiences, contexts, and traditions of today, “interracial” needs a makeover.
Should a couple that embodies multiple races and heritages be considered interracial, or just… a couple?
Where, if anywhere, should a line be drawn to help distinguish these distinct relationships?
Intersectionality in 2025
One way to make sense of modern interracial relationships is through the concept of intersectionality. This broad term essentially refers to the intersection of multiple aspects of identity. These include everything from race to gender, class, sexual orientation, and other social markers. By looking through the lens of intersectionality, we can conclude that “interracial” is not static.
It changes, and it changes in ways obvious and subtle.
Take, for instance, an individual who identifies as both Black and Latinx. In this case, the designation of “x” denotes a unique gender identity. Then you might have somebody else who identifies as both Black and white.
Now let’s say these people became a couple. Would we call that union “interracial”? If so, what races would be expressed or described? And what if they had kids? How would the kids identify? As Black, white, Hispanic, or some mix?
Would it even matter?
One of the main things to consider here is a person’s experiences. These shape who we are, where we’ve been, and where we may end up. One example could be somebody who appears mostly white but was socialized in an environment that was, say, mostly Black, Asian, or Indian.
In this case, the person may have a greater affinity for these other racial categories than with ‘white.’ So what does that make this individual? And, if this individual enters a relationship with somebody else, would those classifications shift?
While all of this may get confusing fast, there’s one important thing to remember: identities are not fixed in stone. Sure, a certain part of this is due to changing environments, new ideas, different experiences, and so on.
But did you know that even genetically speaking, you’re changing? That you’re a slightly different person every day you wake up?
Merely consider the field of epigenetics. If you’re not familiar with it, epigenetics refers to the way that our environments and even behaviors can alter our gene activity. Different tags can be turned ‘on’ and ‘off’ without actually changing our DNA sequences.
Whether you like it or not, you’re changing all the time!
The Variables That Make Us Different
Some ‘mixed-race’ people accept all their racial identities at once or at times, while others reject all of them as too limiting. In today’s world of digital platforms and social media conversations, the use of binary categories feels highly inadequate.
Thanks to the internet, people are sharing experiences and celebrating diversity like at no other time in human history. Whether it’s influencers, actors, musicians, athletes, pop culture personas, or public figures, the awareness of difference has reached an all-time high.
And it is in this understanding of our unique qualities that we also find common ground.
One interesting way to think of it is this: we are all the same because we are all different.
How’s that for a mind-bender?
But as it turns out, social interactions online are just part of the puzzle. Ideas of “interracial” also change due to demographic shifts. Populations are becoming increasingly multiracial as the gene pool continuously evolves. Cultures are now interwoven, with multiple influences creating exciting niches of identity and activity.
And it’s only going to continue. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2045 not a single racial or ethnic group will comprise the majority of the country’s population.
Of course, for some people, all this talk of race and identity is missing the larger picture…
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Finding Yourself Amid the Noise
Concepts of “interracial” are constantly adapting to the world we inhabit. Categories are rarely adequate, and while we may identify one way or another simply for convenience, that doesn’t mean that such an identity truly represents who we are.
So where does that leave us?
For many people, shared identities are important, but understanding yourself is the ultimate goal. While you may find that you can move between various groups and social settings with ease, does that mean you closely identify with each one?
Does that mean that your personal identity is impossible to nail down?
Whether you believe in a strictly fixed category or view everything as fluid, a sense of self is vital to happiness and success.
So who are you? What makes you tick? What values do you uphold? What experiences define you and what aspects of this crazy thing called life do you reject? To put it simply, what makes you, you?
Perhaps, it’s simpler than you think. Or, as Rihanna once said, “I’m just me. I don’t feel a reason to change.”
And for many people caught in this confusing, ever-shifting world, that may just say it all.