Sophomore Stephanie Cook cannot go out with her boyfriend's parents when they come to town, and she has a hard time even walking through campus without getting looks from her peers. Cook, a black woman, is one of many college students dealing with the obstacles of an interracial relationship.
"In terms of reaction from other people, it's been quite frustrating," Cook said. "It puts a strain on our relationship."
Cook, who has been dating a white Jewish man from Georgetown University for about two years, was one of nearly 50 students who attended a R.E.A.L. Conversation forum about interracial dating Monday night. The forums, which take place throughout the year and cover issues such as violence against women, are meant to give students an opportunity to talk about difficult issues in a relaxed setting.
"It's more comfortable sharing views about controversial topics," Allison McCallie, assistant program coordinator for the Student Activities Center, said.
R.E.A.L. Conversations sessions focus on themes such as relationships, ethnicity and activism, wrote Grace Henry, SAC's assistant director of leadership, training and development, in an e-mail.
"From a student development standpoint, creating space for GW students to have conversations that deal with issues of sensitivity and diversity is important particularly as we aim to create global leaders," she said.
Part-time sociology professor Reginald Jones moderated Monday night's event. Groups co-sponsoring the event, including the Student Association, Multicultural Greek Council and the Black Student Union, recommended him as a candidate to lead the discussion.
Jones launched the interracial dating discussion with some background information and light humor.
Jones said people are generally tense when talking about race, but will flat out "shut down" when discussing race and dating.
He shared some startling facts with the audience before the discussion began, such as the status of anti-miscegenation laws in the U.S. South Carolina, Jones explained, did not remove its prohibition against interracial marriage until 1998.
"In terms of reaction from other people, it's been quite frustrating," Cook said. "It puts a strain on our relationship."
Cook, who has been dating a white Jewish man from Georgetown University for about two years, was one of nearly 50 students who attended a R.E.A.L. Conversation forum about interracial dating Monday night. The forums, which take place throughout the year and cover issues such as violence against women, are meant to give students an opportunity to talk about difficult issues in a relaxed setting.
"It's more comfortable sharing views about controversial topics," Allison McCallie, assistant program coordinator for the Student Activities Center, said.
R.E.A.L. Conversations sessions focus on themes such as relationships, ethnicity and activism, wrote Grace Henry, SAC's assistant director of leadership, training and development, in an e-mail.
"From a student development standpoint, creating space for GW students to have conversations that deal with issues of sensitivity and diversity is important particularly as we aim to create global leaders," she said.
Part-time sociology professor Reginald Jones moderated Monday night's event. Groups co-sponsoring the event, including the Student Association, Multicultural Greek Council and the Black Student Union, recommended him as a candidate to lead the discussion.
Jones launched the interracial dating discussion with some background information and light humor.
Jones said people are generally tense when talking about race, but will flat out "shut down" when discussing race and dating.
He shared some startling facts with the audience before the discussion began, such as the status of anti-miscegenation laws in the U.S. South Carolina, Jones explained, did not remove its prohibition against interracial marriage until 1998.
