For Most Brazilians, Skin Color Doesn't Affect Relationships
Datafolha Survey Shows Black Men and Women Perceive the Most Influence
The majority of Brazilians state that skin color does not interfere in romantic and friendly relationships, according to a Datafolha survey conducted in 111 cities, with an 85% agreement for both. When responses are analyzed based on the self-declared race of the participants, there are changes in the numbers. For 33% of those who identify as black, color affects romantic relationships, compared to 13% of browns and 8% of whites.
"We, black people, feel the weight of the racialization of relationships," says Luiza Mandela, a master's graduate in ethnic-racial relations. Regarding gender, Datafolha shows that among black women, 39% claim racial interference in relationships, compared to 13% among brown women and 9% among white women. Meanwhile, 26% of black men affirm the influence of skin color.
The responses regarding friendship also change along racial lines. For 33% of self-declared black women, color interferes in relationships, while among black men, the figure is 26%.