page_title: Sexual racism
section_title: Online dating
hierarchical_section_title: Sexual racism / Sexual preferences / Heterosexual community / Online dating
caption_attribution_description: English: On line dating services in the world in February 2016 Monthly Unique Visitors (Source&#160;: Alexa.com) Trustworthiness* shown in brackets (Source&#160;: MyWOT.com)
context_page_description: Sexual racism is an individual's sexual preference for specific races. It is an inclination towards or against potential sexual or romantic partners on the basis of perceived racial identity.
  Although discrimination among partners based on perceived racial identity is characterized by some as a form of racism, it is presented as a matter of preference by others.
  The evolution of sexual racism in the US can be viewed by looking at its history, where the abolition of slavery and the Reconstruction Era had significant impacts on interracial mixing. Public opinion of interracial marriage and relationships have increased in positivity in the last 50 years. In 1968, 73% of US citizens disapproved of interracial marriage, whereas this figure dropped to 17% by 2007.
context_section_description: In the last 15 years, online dating has overtaken previously preferred methods of meeting with potential partners, surpassing both the occupational setting and area of residence as chosen locations. This spike is consistent with an increase in access to the internet in homes across the globe, in addition to the number of dating sites available to individuals differing in age, gender, race, sexual orientation and ethnic background. Along with this, there has been a rise in online sexual racism, whereby partner race is now the most highly selected preference chosen by users when creating their online profiles, displacing both educational and religious characteristics. Research has indicated a progressive acceptance of interracial relationships by white individuals. The majority of white Americans are not against interracial relationships and marriage, however these beliefs are not illustrated in subsequent marital rates between interracial couples, such that no more than 4% of white Americans will wed outside their own race. In fact, less than 46% of white Americans are willing to date an individual of any other race. Overall, African Americans appear to be the most open to interracial relationships, yet are the least preferred partner by other racial groups. However, regardless of stated preferences, racial discrimination still occurs in online dating.
  Each group significantly prefers to date intra-racially. White Americans are the least open to interracial dating, and select preferences in the order of Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and then African American individuals last at 60.5%, 58.5% and 49.4% respectively. African American preferences follow a similar pattern, with the most preferred partner belonging to the Hispanic group (61%), followed by white individuals (59.6%) and then Asian Americans (43.5%). Both Hispanic and Asian Americans prefer to date a white individual (80.3% and 87.3%, respectively), and both are least willing to date African Americans (56.5% and 69.5%). In all significant cases, Hispanic Americans are preferred to Asian Americans, and Asian Americans are significantly preferred over African Americans. Hispanic Americans are less likely to be excluded in online dating partner preferences by whites seeking a partner, as Latinos are often viewed as an ethnic group that is increasingly assimilating more into white American culture.
  In addition to general racism in online dating, there is further exclusion differences between certain genders within racial groups, such that women of any race are significantly less likely to date inter-racially than a male of any race. Specifically, Asian men and black men and women face more obstacles to acceptance online. White women are the most likely to only date their own race, with Asian and black men being the most rejected groups by them. The rejection of Asian men is likely due to their amplified effeminate portrayal in the media. This exclusion remains present even when considering high earning Asian individuals with an advanced educational background. Increased education does however influence choices in the other direction, such that a higher level of schooling is associated with more optimistic feelings towards interracial relationships. White men are most likely to exclude black women, as opposed to women of another race. High levels of previous exposure to a variety of racial groups creates a more accepting attitude. Sexual racism in online dating, in addition to the outside world, is also influenced by the partner selectors area of residence. Those residing in more Southern regions, particularly in American states, are less likely to have been in an interracial relationship, and are unlikely to inter-racially date in the future. Location is also related to the individuals current and previous religious practices; those who engaged in regular religious customs at age 12 are less likely to inter-racially date. Moreover, those from a Jewish background are significantly more likely to enter an interracial relationship than those from a Protestant backg
caption: Monthly visitors to different Online Dating services globally in February 2016
exif: {}