From the Archives: Loving Day 💖
- Aute Porter, LMFT
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
In addition to Pride, Loving Day marks a historic turning point in the right to love freely in the United States. On June 12th, 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously voted to decree anti-miscegenetion laws (bans against interracial marriage) as unconstitutional. The case of Loving v. Virginia centered around Mildred and Richard Loving, a mixed-Black/ Native-American woman and a white man, both of whom were arrested in Virginia for their marriage. Because their marriage was considered a crime punishable by imprisonment, they fled for Washington and sought legal assistance through the ACLU. Their courageous legal battle affirmed that marriage is a fundamental right, regardless of race. Loving Day, while not yet a federal holiday, honors their legacy, and brings representation for the continued hardship of interracial couples and their descendants.
Interracial couples and their children experience social and cultural challenges rooted in systemic racism and biases, including beliefs that “racial mixing” is wrong. Microaggressions towards multiracial people can be commonplace, taking the form of fetishization and objectification, alongside increased scrutiny and unfair assumptions. Mixed-race folks often struggle with identity development, feeling prone to rejection, and as though they don’t fully belong to any one group. This can lead to the need to perform and code-switch. Research shows that multiracial adults are more likely to have a mental health disorder, such as anxiety (perfectionism), depression, and substance abuse. A specific challenge to interracial families is that parents have differing racial identities than that of their kids, and so are not always equipped to provide guidance with the unique problems their children can face. In March 2025, the new MARC method of census research was announced, with concerns that it will erase the identity of millions of mixed-race people by re-identifying them with a single race identifier. This showcases the need for greater dialogue surrounding mixed and interracial issues, and breeding environments where multiculturalism is genuinely, and not performatively, celebrated.
Loving (2016) - Film
Loving Day - Community Project
Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage - By Dr. Maria Primitiva Paz Root
Critical Mixed Race Studies - Journal, Conference, & Community
Multiracial Americans of Southern California (MASC) - Non-Profit
Mixed in America - Community Organization
Wishing you all a lovely Loving Day as we celebrate cross-cultural and cross-racial love, as well as uplift the experiences of multiracial folks!
In liberation,
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