A voluntary response poll.
Whoops wtf happened to my poll?
FTR, I am half of an inter-racial couple. Also inter-sex, inter-height, and inter-organic-food-crazed.
Oh I refreshed the page and now it’s showing up fine. 
I voted “just another couple” but I must admit they catch my attention more than your average twosome. I think about what they may go through, if their families are accepting, just generally what - if anything - *they *think about being an interracial couple.
Also, around where I live there seem to be mostly black men / white women, and the women seem to fall into a certain stereotype. I’ll not expound, unless asked, as I’m not trying to stir up shit. It’s just part of my thought process when I see them. If it makes any difference I live in Florida, which in many ways is not really “the south” but in a lot of ways it still very much is.
I used to be in a inter-racial marriage. Didn’t work out for other reasons.
What is this, 1970 or something? 
I’d like to know what you observe. I’m not going to argue with you or even disagree with you. I just want to know what you perceive.
Why would anyone care?
Well maybe for the last reason on the poll …
I, too, am one-half of an interracial marriage, and what are you looking at?
I tend to not notice. I’m not saying I’m race blind, but even if I see one person is <a> and the other is <b> it somehow doesn’t connect that that means I’m looking at an interracial couple until someone points it out for some reason.
It actually tends to make me look pretty dumb :/.
Well, it’s still very much segregated here, socioeconomically (though I guess that’s not unique to the south), and it’s usually, from my perception, poor women and equally poor men. The women are overwhelmingly usually obese and have a general look of, well, poverty. I don’t know how else to say it. There’s a kind of ubiquitous hairstyle and dress and it may have nothing to do with anything, but I was just trying to answer the poll honestly.
I realize someone will bring up “confirmation bias”. I’m no sociologist and in fact had never heard that term before joining this board. That may well be the case, but I’m just an average people watcher and after many years living here, that’s just the way it seems.
The reason I pointed out black/ white couples is partly because it’s not ethnically diverse here so there isn’t much else to see, and again, the traditional southern prejudice is very much alive here so when I see mixed couples my writer’s mind starts to imagine and dwell on what their story may be.
I’m the product of one, so I’m probably biased.
Me too. Early on in our relationship I had several acquaintances inquire what she was like. Were there any weird cultural things, what holidays do we celebrate, so on and so forth. They were usually pretty disappointed to discover there was zero cultural divide as her adoptive parents were of the same race and culture as me and my these acquaintances.
I’d just like to note that I chose the first option. Whenever I see an interracial couple, I don’t stare or ogle. I just look once, maybe smile a bit, then look away, and let that be; I know they already probably receive undue attention and I don’t want to be adding to it.
Just wanted to stay ahead of the curve on polling.
I grew up *looking *like I am the product of one and received plenty of inquiries about it. Peoples’ curiosity never offended me so maybe that’s why I’m naturally and unabashedly interested.
Your choices are incomplete. It depends on the circumstances. A white male and Asian female couple are completely unremarkable in most suburban and urban areas. A white female and black male still raise a few eyes in places (that is why it was a joke in There’s Something about Mary) but it is common enough as well. Outside of those however, I don’t think people most people want to start burning crosses in your yard but they do have idle curiosity about is going on and it may limit social options.
White female/Asian Male pairings are fairly uncommon but people can understand if they both have make a lot of money. White male/black female pairings are very unusual and will probably lead to some questions just because people aren’t used to it. Every other combo falls on some continuum of that spectrum.
I think it is still regarded as desirable to date and marry within your own ethnic group in the U.S. roughly speaking. That isn’t a value judgement. It just makes things easier overall.
For me, it totally depends on where I am. On the one hand, in a bigger city, with bigger melting pots, it’s so common it’s just…common. Normal. On the other hand, depending on the city <or maybe the time period> it is still a BFD to go cross-cultural.
My parents, for example. Both white, why do you ask? But see, one’s of Irish descent, and one’s of German, and apparantly that was such a huge taboo there was a song my folks used to sing about it, something about not mixing the orange with the red, or whatnot. (Referring to the flags, I think)
So yeah, I do notice, but I either think nothing of it, or, if I’m somewhere it might still be ODD, if accepted, I wonder about family approval and what-not. I admit, I’m this way mostly with Asian and Far Eastern folk, as I’m least acquainted with those cultures and might wonder whether someone’s family is having issues.
But it’s all idle speculation. Well, for now. 
I’m the pinche guerra married to the wetback, but since I’m in wetback territory, I don’t give a shit. The crap I’ve gotten is all from the mexican side. (not his family; they are awesome! just from ignorant twats) Once I drag him back to MY home area of Idaho, not exactly known for being multicultural, if you get my drift, if anyone gives HIM any shit I’m gonna punch 'em in the face, twice. So, we’ll see!