The New Hollywood Gray – Interracial Power Coupling

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Who knew the colors for the red carpet this past award season would be ebony and ivory?

I am not referring to the fashion, but the new phenomenon of the interracial power couple. Despite the award ceremonies offering the same amount of diversity as most Tea Party rallies, some stars have taken it upon themselves to show their openness in their relationship preferences.  Every time I see pictures of, ‘WhoDat’ Iggy Azalea walking down the carpet with Laker/lover Nick Young, I can’t help but smile inside knowing that somewhere some racist’s confederate flag just lost another star. It’s not just the fact that they’re an interracial couple (We’ve seen plenty of interracial pairings in the relationships of athletes), but it’s the fact that they’re both worth millions right now and are at the height of their careers is what makes it unique.

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I’m so happy to see some diversity at last.  I can’t think of a time in America where you saw this many interracial pairings. It may seem like it’s no big deal, but you have to remember, this is the same America that protested a commercial for depicting an interracial family a few years ago. The same America where celebrities have made public announcements denouncing any suspected blackness; i.e. Paula Abdul and Tiger Woods. The same America that, not that long ago, had complete racial segregation between black and whites.

I’m not attempting to unite anyone and I’m not prescribing black guys for famous white women. Everyone is entitled to their own preferences, whether it’s black or white. And trust me, I’d let you know if I were rallying up support to launch a Jungle Fever movement. I just happen to think it’s refreshing to see these celebrities changing the status quo by breaking down these ridiculous barriers and ignoring norms. I wouldn’t go as far as to credit Ariana Grande and Big Sean as being the forerunners of social tolerance, but they are providing a much needed example that fame doesn’t mean you have to denounce your heritage to gain acceptance into an elitist Aryan society, and you shouldn’t have to accessorize yourself with matching eye candy to stay relevant.

The couples that captivated America in the past have been profoundly white. Now, the biggest couple is Kim and Kanye. This is America now, one that is changing, and one that is ceasing to be an un-tossed salad, and finally turning into that melting pot we’ve heard so much about. Bad news to racial purists, because I doubt that this trend will slow anytime soon, because why would it? People are connected to each other in more ways than in the past, the minority is the majority, and that shadow of segregation is steadily receding under the star power of these nonstandard and untypical minority celebrities.

Soon, the entertainment industry will have to stop operating under Jim Crow, and begin treating entertainers equally. People are questioning the diversity lacking on screen and at award shows, more now than ever. Tinseltown has to face it. Audiences just aren’t as ignorant to the racial exclusion anymore. If there’s one thing Hollywood knows, it’s that even a whisper of the infamous ‘R’ word has the potential of setting off a firestorm.

I can’t be sure what type of effect John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are having on society at the moment, but I like that interracial coupling is bringing color into bleached crowds and auditoriums, and minorities are walking through doors that used to be locked. It might not seem as drastic as I make it out to be, but imagine the Academy Awards if Diamond Girl Liz strutted the carpet with Sydney Poitier back in the day, or if Hattie McDaniel’s date for Oscar night was Clark Gable. Do you think she still would’ve been denied a seat amongst her costars? An interesting thought, isn’t it?