(WHAS11) - As part of the WHAS11 series Black and White in Kentuckiana, WHAS11’s Renee Murphy took a closer look at something that was once a taboo subject; interracial dating.
While it is more accepted in both white and black communities, it is still a sore topic for some, where feelings of betrayal and hurt still linger today.
Iconic movies like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner propelled the issue of interracial dating to the forefront in 1967.
Decades later films like Spike Lee's Jungle Fever tackled the subject once again, coining a phrase used during much of the 90's.
But what do people have to say about the issue today?
“Anybody that has a problem with it just hasn't been stupid enough to say anything to us publically,” says Mark Gunn.
Mark Gunn of radio station B96.5 and his finance Tracey Sayles say they are just like any other couple and don't haven't run into any problems with their interracial relationship.
“My family loves him and I think his family loves me,” says Tracey.
Both have dated interracially before but agree this time around public perception has changed.
“I would say it was a lot worse then, with comments and remarks. I think it's a whole lot easier now than it was back then,” says Tracey.
From radio personalities to local reality stars, the idea of interracial dating is not a taboo subject to them.
“The majority of my experience has been that Louisville is pretty open. I don't think people have to fear going somewhere on a date or that people are wondering what they are going to encounter,” says Julie Smith.
Julie dates people of all different ethnic backgrounds. Her ups and downs in love were chronicled on the reality show Southern Belles Louisville.
She says sometimes people put her in a box just because of who she dates.
“I think for me a lot of people might think if she is now dating a white man that's all she does people just kind of gather that and I just ask where did you get all that just by us walking in the door,” says Julie.
Maurice Pierre has also dated outside his race but found himself in an uncomfortable situation when he was out with a woman who wasn't black.
“One instance in particular, we were out a while back and we had a night on the town we figured we would go have a few drinks with friends and that and we walked in and the reaction we got we weren't expecting the reaction we got. You could tell they were just a little uncomfortable with us being in their space and they kind of like went out of their way to show it,” says Maurice.
He didn't want to elaborate on exactly what happened but for some black women seeing a black man with a white woman is unacceptable.
“Black women lose men to crime murder and its harder to find a black man so than a white woman has one that’s just another black man being taken away from use,” says Rukiyah Yisrael.
Rukiyah once dated a white man but says she doesn't agree with interracial dating.
“I embrace my culture and I just don't care to be with someone of a different race,” she says.
Neferu Sanders is against interracial dating but it might sound like a contradiction when you look at her background.
Her family is a melting pot of black and white ancestry. Her mother was so fair skinned that those who didn't know often thought her mother was white.
But none of this sways her opinion about interracial dating.
“I cannot because that’s not my calling in this lifetime. I have a purpose and my purpose is to my people,” she says.
It is an issue that is still divided decades later.
In our exclusive WHAS11 Survey USA poll we asked if you would consider dating someone of another race.
53% said yes and 42% said no while 5% said they aren't sure.
