4B = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SEX ON THE HILL
MONDAY, DEC. 10,2001
Red Lyon Tavern
A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence 044 Mass 832-8228
944 Mass
ased Lyon Tave
The First Big "0"
Don't Fake It!!
Using a Fake I.D. can give you your first big "O"ffense.
Know Your Rights. Legal Services for Students
148 Burge • 864-5665
Jo Hardesty, Director
STUDENT
BY INDEPENDENCE
SENATE
Large selection of movies, DVDs & video games for sale
Before you leave town, do your Christmas shopping
Gift certificates
We can special order any movie available on VHS or DVD
We now carry XBox and GameCube games for rent
stop by on your way in or out of Lawrence, we're right on the way to KC!
1800 E. 23rd • 842.3400
Interracial couples seek approval hope to break down ethnic barriers
By Collin LaJoie Kansan correspondent
Melissa Holland, who is part African-American, was adopted by a Caucasian family. She has seen society's reaction to an interracial family first-hand, but she thinks attitudes are changing.
"It depends on the generation. I think the younger generation is much more open than even six years ago," said Holland, Iowa City, Iowa, sophomore. "When I was in junior high or even high school, you didn't date outside your race."
Though numbers have changed, an article in the November issue of Time magazine in 1997 reported that 57 percent of teens in the United States had dated someone of another race, as opposed to 17 percent in 1980.
"You see many more interracial marriages and a lot of mixed children than you did in the past," she said.
Holland said that change was visible.
According to a study published in the March 2001 issue of College Student Journal, 620 students at East Carolina University, which has student body of mostly Caucasians, were questioned about their beliefs about interracial dating.
Holland said people's perception of interracial dating is not simply based on skin color.
Of those surveyed, 49.6 percent said they were open to
"Being an average middle-class family, they were a little uncomfortable with my boyfriends because they couldn't identify with black culture—the different speech, culture and economic backgrounds," she said.
"... You didn't date outside your race."
Melissa Holland
iowa City, Iowa, sophomore
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
involvement in an interracial relationship, and 24.2 percent said they had been in an interracial relationship.
For Joellen Wang, St. Louis sophomore, and Ryan Reed, Overland Park sophomore, race and ethnicity was not nearly as important as religion.
Wang, of Chinese heritage, is part of the first generation of her family to be born in the United States. Her family is not a traditional Chinese family but is relatively conservative and has a "Christian-Chinese mentality," she said, adding that her parents were open to almost anything.
JoEllen Wang, St. Louis sophomore, and Ryan Reed, Overland Park sophomore, said that in their parents' eyes, religion was much more important than racial issues. Wang is of Chinese heritage and Reed is Caucasian.
Reed, of Caucasian heritage, said when he told his parents about Wang, her race or ethnicity were not important, even though he had rarely been involved in interracial relationships in the past.
Wang said although people may have noticed the physical differences of those involved in interracial relationships, it was not a problem. Her boyfriend, Reed, agreed.
"First they asked if she was Christian, then they asked if she carried herself as a lady," he said.
"We're all human," he said.
Joane Nagel, professor of sociology and interim associate dean of social sciences, said that race, ethnicity, religion and economic status could affect society's view on interracial dating.
"Controversy depends on the audience. Usually, if parents are
involved, controversy can be generated," Nagel said.
"Sexuality magnifies those boundaries, Race, ethnicity and
Nagel also said that whenever a socially significant boundary was crossed sexually—as in dating, sex or marriage—extreme reactions might arise.
class are all touchy, volatile issues, and when sex is in the mix, it can be extremely volatile;" she said. "Reactions can range from mild disapproval to lynching and even murder."
Contact LaJoie at 864-4810
College, marriage coexist for some students
Bv Denene Brox
Kansan correspondent
Chaurice Jacobson, Lenexa senior, has been married for two-and-a-half years and says that there are good and bad sides to being a wife and a student.
College is a time of exploring and learning about yourself, and most students do not take a big life step such as marriage until after graduation. But some KU students decide to start sharing their lives in marriage during their college careers.
Lewis Walton, East St. Louis, Ill., senior, has been married to his wife, Eugenia, for seven years. He says it is hard to describe life as a married student.
"It's hard because I can't go to study groups at all hours of the night," Jacobson said. "My husband is totally understanding of that kind of thing, but I try not to do it too often because we don't get to see each other as it is with our different schedules."
"I am married first, a student second," Walton said. "My decisions affect my wife as much as they do me, so I have to be
responsible."
Jacobson says there are some major differences between being married and just having roommates.
"Marriage is not like having roommates because you can go weeks and barely see them. But if I don't see my husband because our schedules are opposite, it is a lot more difficult," Jacobson said.
"I miss out on the fun school stuff like partying, but that isn't what being a student is about. Marriage has made my life stable. I don't do all-nighters anymore. I
There are things that Jacobson wishes she could have participated in during her earlier college years that she didn't do because her marriage is more important.
Despite the tradeoffs, Jacobson says marriage is worth it.
"I wanted to go do study abroad in England for four weeks. We could have afforded to do it, but you can't just be gone from your husband for a month when you've only been married for a year," she said.
don't get up at 5 o'clock in the morning to try to finish reading something." she said.
Jacobson also said being married has helped her academically. She feels much more dedicated to school.
"Since I'm not taking out student loans to pay for classes, it's our money I'm spending, and that is a bigger deal. I don't want to do bad in school because studying takes time away from my husband, and if I fail, it's a waste of time," she said.
Jacobson feels more security being married. She enjoys having a partner who respects her dreams to pursue her Ph.D. That is security you cannot find in a roommate, she said.
"I didn't understand why people were hesitant about me getting married while I was still in school. They would say you can wait. "But then I'd be waiting till I was 30 to get married and that would be forever," lacobson said.
Jacobson says students who are getting married or thinking about marriage should find a
"I miss out on the fun school stuff like partying, but that isn't what being a student is about."
Chaurice Jacobson
Lenexa senior
quiet place to study and set aside time for homework because married life could be distracting.
"It's the most significant commitment you will make in life," Walton said. "For some people, it will make school more difficult. If you are a responsible person and have a supportive spouse, being married can help."
Walton said students thinking about getting married while still attending college should make sure they were ready for the commitment.
Contact Brox at 864-4810