The adage saying 'when you go black you never go back' reflects the racism that has dominated the American society for years. The American society has had a bitter share of racism as evident by the ban on interracial marriages for the better part of its history.
Interracial marriages in the US were considered illegal until 1967 when the ban was rendered unconstitutional. However, the phrase 'when you go black you never go back' still persists within the modern American society signifying that racism is a human vice that is going to take a little longer than anticipated to eliminate.
Sex and sexuality tend to play a critical in any Interracial dating with women becoming a center of attention in such relationships. There have been myths that a sexual intercourse between a white female and a black male results in black sperms being infused into the female's system which changes her sexual behavior making her acquire negroid traits. In other words, a white female who has engaged in sex with a black man ought to cease being part of the white race as the negroid traits infused into her during intercourse might reappear in her future offspring. Such a woman is considered to be part of a black race despite being white in appearance.
The white supremacists view 'whiteness' as a property and possession that ought to be protected. Despite the 1967 landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court, the racial subornation still exists in the American society to date. Some racial marriage commentators argue that once a white female has dated a black guy, chances are that she will not get any white suitor in the future and she is doomed to date blacks for the rest of her life. Incidences have been reported where white females dating blacks have been looked down upon by fellow whites.
The other argument attributed to the saying 'when you go black you never go back' is the patriarchal nature of the black societies. In most of the races in the world, the female identity is often overridden by recognizing that of the male. In interracial marriages where the male is a white, the couple retains the white status irrespective of the race of the female partner. Similarly, an interracial marriage where the man is a black is considered 'black' due to the patriarchal nature of black societies thus affirming the phrase 'when you go black you never go back.' Therefore, the gender of the male partner in an Interracial relationship determines the status of the female partner and how it will be perceived by others.
Several incidences have also been reported where white families have opposed Interracial marriages, particularly with the blacks. Some weird incidences have been reported where white females get denounced by their families for pushing through with their black lovers. Therefore, the phrase 'when you go black you never go back' could be understood as a way of expressing the long-standing racism witnessed in the American history. Though several intermarriages between the blacks and whites have taken place based on mutual love, shared religious beliefs, and mutual respect, the fear and prejudice of intermarriages still persist.
