Reply to both discussions. 125 words each reply. Each discussion has 2 different questions. Let me know if you need anything else from me
discussion 1- Esmeralda
Question 2: Rockquemore and Henderson Reading: Interracial Families in Post-Civil Rights America
Despite the passing of civil rights and the law now allowing interracial marriages, couples who married outside of their same race still face and experience racial inequalities. These inequalities are continued to be seen in our social institutions, ranging from public schools to health care to the criminal justice system. The six components of “racial literarcy” are (1) a recognition of symbolic and material value if Whitness; (2) the definition of racism as a current social problem rather than a historical legacy; (3) an understanding that racial identities are learned and an outcome of social practices; (4) the possession of racial grammar and a vocabulary that facilitates a discussion of race, racism, and antiracism; (5) the ability to translate (interpret) racial codes and racialized practices; and (6) an analysis of the ways that racism is mediated by class inequalities, gender hierarchies, and heteronormativity. This rethinking of race, racism, and racial identity helps white partners to cultivate a critical analysis to understand how larger sociopolitical and historical forces shape the different types of resistance to their interracial relationship that they experience from whites and blacks (Rockquemore, Henderson, Pg. 108). Sometimes individuals create racial acts without even knowing they are being racists, it can go from a comment to joke, where in the moment they might think it’s funny but the reality of it is that it is a racial act towards an induvial outside of their racial group. As Rockquemore and Henderson address in the book these 6 factors help couples understand and resist racists attitudes towards their interracial relationship by coping with external pressure, racial literacy leads individuals to recognize their social networks and reorient their behaviors.
Heather Dalmage argues that the discrepancy between the attitudes of blacks and whites lies in differential conceptions of same-race relationships (Rockquemore, Henderson, Pg. 103). When Heather Dalmage refers to the concept of “boarder patrolling” she is referring to the different opinions and points of views all individuals have toward interracial marriages. These views create a form of racial hostility, this racial hostility that both black and white partners experience is described as border patrolling. Dalmage details various behaviors and attitudes expressed by white family members, friends, peers, and strangers that communicate a consistent and clear message: same race dating and marriage are “normal”, and interracial coupling is “different” and “problematic” (Rockquemore, Henderson, Pg. 103). In other words, both black and whites are okay with interracial marriages to a certain extent if the interracial marriages are not happening withing their family or social group.
Question 3: Pew Research Center, May 2020, “As Millennials Near 40., They’re Approaching Family Life Differently than Previous Generations”.
Millennials have been slower than previous generations to establish their own households; a new analysis of government data by Pew Research Centers shows that Millennials are taking a different path in forming-or not forming-families (Barroso, Parker, Bennet, 2020). Millennials today, are not doing things the same way previous generations did, they are not getting married right after high school, nor are the having children right away. According to the Pew Research Millennials are less likely to live with a family of their own than previous generations were at the same stage of life. Furthermore, more than half of Millennials are married, and those who are, decided to marry later in life. Those who married, also married individuals who has the same or around the same level of education as them. According to the research, among married Millennials with a bachelor’s degree or more education, 75% are married to another college graduate; this is higher than Gen Xers (68%), Boomes (63%) or Silents (52%) when they were the age Millennials are now. When it comes to interracial marriage, more than one-in-ten married millennials have a spouse who is of different racial or ethnic background; intermarriage rates are higher for Millennials than for Gen Xers across all racial and ethnic groups. For example, the research notes that the rate of intermarriage among black Millennials is nearly twice as high as that of black Gen Xers at a comparable age (118% vs. 10%). When it comes to childbearing, more than half of Millennial women have given birth; they are older than previous generations when they do. Previous research has shown that women are waiting longer to give birth, many women are becoming first-time mothers in their 40’s, this reflected in data that showing that the age of first-time mothers has increased over time (Barroso, Parker, Bennet, 2020). Additionally, Millennials are also having children without being married. Millennial mothers are more likely than mothers from previous generations to be unmarried, when it comes to Millennial men, they are less likely to be fathers at this stage of life than Gen X men were at a comparable age.
Lastly, economics and education play a role in Millennial’s family formation because they are both critical. For example, the increased in educational attainment of Millennials, directs them in the opposite direction to pursue a career rather than getting married right away or have children sooner. When it comes to economics, life is expensive today, therefore it makes Millennials second think their future and the majority decide to pursue a higher education and career first before building their own family. Which in a way is good, because children are now being born into more financially stable homes. Millennials today are breaking the mold from past generations and doing things the way they want to them and doing them in a manner that makes them comfortable without feeling pressured to do anything.
Resources:
Risman, B.J., & Rutter, V. (2015) Families as they really are. Second edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Rockquemore and Henderson Reading: Interracial Families in Post-Civil Rights America
Pew Research Center, May 2020, “As Millennials Near 40., They’re Approaching Family Life Differently than Previous Generations”.
Discussion 2- Angel
Q2. Rockquemore and Henderson Reading: Interracial Families in Post-Civil Rights America
The six components of racial literacy that Rockqumore and Henderson explain are the following: recognition of the symbolic and material value of Whiteness, the definition of racism as a current social rather than a historical legacy, understanding that racial identities are learned, racial grammar and vocabulary facilitates a discussion of race, racism, and antiracism, the ability to interpret racial codes and practices, and analyze the way racism is mediated by class inequalities, gender hierarchies, and heteronormativity (Rockquemore & Henderson, 2015). Interracial couples, specifically white, were compelled to reconsider their assumptions and their own beliefs due to them also experiencing continuous accounts of racism rather than just their partners. The authors stated that white partners were “blind to discrimination prior to their relationship. . .” (Rockquemore and Henderson, p. 108). Couples of different races were unknowingly racist. An example that the authors give us is an event that happened to a man named Glen who was white and interracially married. Glen would make jokes of the length of an African American male penis. However, Glen did not realize that he was degrading African Americans, until his wife had helped him understand (Rockquemore & Henderson, 2015). In favor, Glen resists on telling African American jokes and simply frowns at those who do.
The authors go into detail of the term “border-patrolling” where same-race dating or marriages are considered “normal” and interracial dating is considered to be deviant, disruptive, and wrong. White women who were dating African American males would be harassed, rejected, and shunned by family and friends. White women who were married and had mix-raced children would receive racial slurs, questioned on how they would categorize her children’s race, and confusion of those who did not understand their relationship. White males who were in a relationship with an African American female only received “confusion, curiosity, or concern” from their white male counterparts (Rockquemore & Henderson, p. 109). However, African American men questioned African American women why they were with a white male. Warren, who was with an African American female, that African American men were “more outspoken” and “did not like the fact that you could––a white man could have on of their black sisters” (Renderson & Henderson, p.109). In comparison, African American males and females dealt with resistance from their community, as well. Those who dated outside of their race were considered disloyal, sell-outs, weak, and treacherous. Families feared for African American women who were in interracial relationships. They did not want them to have to deal with verbal abuse of racism or endure racism from their partner’s family members (Rockquemore & Henderson, 2015).
Q4. Findings from Family Process Studies about What’s Good for Children
The five kinds of risk factors or protective factors that affect children are a parent’s level of adaption, parent-child relationship, couple relationship, intergenerational family patterns, and life stressors. Parent’s level of adaption is when the parents have personal problems, these problems affect their parenting & development for their child. For example, author Cowans’ state that there is evidence that shows that parents who are dealing with mental illnesses (depression, antisocial, schizophrenia, etc.) are less effective in their relationship and child (Cowan & Cowan, 2015). A parent-child relationship is a combination of warmth, structure, and appropriate demands for maturity and makes a strong contribution to a child’s development. Cowan and Cowan state that there are other forms of parenting that are less effective and can cause risks for their child’s development. These parenting styles are permissive and neglectful parenting (Cowan & Cowan, 2015). A couple’s relationship is imperative to their child’s development. When parent’s (married, single, or divorced) get along, the impact on the development on children are positive. Intergenerational family patterns tend to be repeated for one generation to the next. This includes mental illnesses, neglectful treatment of children, and dysfunctional couple relationships. This could be avoided with conscious parenting. Lastly, life stressors from work and stressors, such as being in poverty, can affect a parent-child relationship. By minimizing stress and having social support from family members, friends, or other social support helps reduce the impact on children development (Cowan & Cowan, 2015).
References:
Cowan, Phillip and Carolyn Cowan. “Beyond Family Structure: Family Process Studies Help to Reframe What’s Good for Children,” Phillip A. Cowan, Pg. 358-379.
Risman, B.J. & Rutter, V.E. (Eds.) 2015. Families as They Really Are, 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton & Co.
Rockquemore, Kerry Ann & Loren Henderson. “Interracial Families in Post-Civil Rights America,” Pg. 98-112.
