Controversy Surrounding Interracial Couple. Background Information

Controversy Surrounding Interracial Couple
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Institutional Affiliation
Controversy Surrounding Interracial Couple
Background Information
For several decades, racism pervaded and continues to pervade the social fabric of American society to the extent of disrupting the stability of interracial couples who had married or planned to get married in the future. This is because racism introduced prejudice against couples belonging to different races (Lewis & Ford-Robertson, 2010). Moreover, American society has been characterized by a long history of racial stratification which perpetuates certain assumptions about the status and character of various minority groups (Schwartz, Zeng, & Xie, 2016). As a result, the issues of dominant culture, privilege, and identity status have disadvantaged interracial couples who desire to get married.
Prior to the abolition of the anti-miscegenation laws that prohibited interracial marriages in 24 states in the United States, the legal restrictions exposed couples of different races to the risk of prosecution. Any officiation of such marriages by judges or priests was regarded as an illegality. Where individuals from different races got involved in interracial sex, even if they were unmarried, they were imprisoned as they were considered to have committed a felony (Bhusal, 2017). Therefore, prejudice and discrimination against interracial couples existed even in the justice system.
However, it took the determination and self-sacrifice of Mildred and Richard Loving (an interracial couple that was arrested for violating the Racial Integrity Act of Virginia in 1958) to successfully challenge the constitutionality of anti-interracial marriage laws in the U.S. In 1967, the Supreme Court rendered the laws effectively unenforceable in the famous Loving v. Virginia (Bhusal, 2017). Over the past decade, the number of marriages between interracial couples has been on the rise. For example, the proportion of heterosexual couples belonging to different ethnicities who have married in the U.S. increased by 28 percent between 2000 and 2010 (Jayson, 2012). Due to globalization, Americans of diverse ethnic backgrounds are finding it much easier to meet and date each other. As a result, the proportion of interracial newlyweds in various metro areas in the U.S. has risen steadily. While the percentage of newlyweds who had intermarried in 1967 across the U.S. was only 3 percent, this proportion had increased to 17 percent by 2015 (Livingstone & Brown, 2017).
Notably, some people still believe that dating and marrying across racial lines are socially or culturally inappropriate. However, such beliefs are likely to dwindle with time as the forces of globalization bring many Americans to the realization that such relationships are in fact important for the cohesiveness of society. Therefore, the view that is likely to prevail is that two people who love each other and have an understanding between them should not be hindered by racial or cultural considerations.
Relationship of Aforementioned Issues to Human Services Counselor
Considering the background of the issues raised in the preceding section, I would expect as a professional human services counselor to receive a higher number of interracial clients in need of pre-marital counseling compared to marriage therapists of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. This is attributable to the fact that the popularity and acceptability of interracial marriages have increased significantly over the past one or two decades. Although this does not mean that the prejudices and racial stratification against minority groups have ended, it is evident that the intensity of the controversial issues around interracial couples has reduced. Therefore, I would still make the effort to understand all the underlying issues on a case by case method to help me in structuring the most appropriate counsel.
Concerning my personal values and beliefs, I have been brought up in environments where interracial couples are generally embraced. Also, I have conducted a lot of research on such marriages to understand the challenges that individuals go through before and after deciding to live together as husband and wife. My family is not conservative and it embraces the idea of people pursuing their happiness within the law. All these elements have shaped by the personal view that people should be allowed to get married to their partners of choice, but should be assisted to understand the circumstances of their relationship through an interactive and open discussion with professional marriage therapists.
To avoid professional malpractice, I will ensure that I have all the necessary credentials including the relevant licenses from associations such as the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). I would also ensure that I fully understand the presenting issue(s) on a case by case basis so that I do not violate the applicable principles including the duty to warn, confidentiality, and privileged communication. For example, where a client clearly poses a risk or threat to anothe...