This blog is about science and beauty, but it is surprising where the research I do for it leads me. I have just read the abstract of a paper published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research. (No, I had never heard of it either). It is called the Anthropometry of Love:Height and Gender Asymmetries in Interethnic Marriages.
Basically what it is saying is that the reason black men are more likely to marry white women than Asian men are is because black men tend to be a bit taller so the women find them more attractive. On the other hand, black women are less likely to marry white men than Asian women are. This is becauase black women tend to be taller than Asian women, so are less appealling to white men.
This is a subject that could easily become very inflammatory and might touch on people’s sensibilities – so please don’t take offence! But personally I find the idea that straight biology overcomes social divisions quite appealing. And it is also one of those things that sort of make sense when you think about it. Would you really let the colour of someone’s skin or their social background put you off them if you really liked them? In any case, it is good to think that people can select their partners on straight forward attractiveness rather than conforming to racial prejudices.
