Young Don’t Feel as Bound by Racial Lines : Poll: Nearly 60% of those 18-34 have courted outside their ethnic group. That drops to 43% for residents 35-54, and 15% for those 55 and older.

As Orange County’s demographics have changed, so have its dating practices.

Interracial dating has become a fact of life, according to a Times Orange County Poll of 500 unmarried people conducted in late June.

Nearly 60% of respondents 18 to 34 years old say they have dated someone from another racial or ethnic group.

A breakdown by age shows older singles were less inclined to mixed-race dating--about 43% of people 35 to 54 had dated someone from another racial group, only 15% of those 55 and older.

From 1980 to 1990, the racial makeup of Orange County changed: Latinos went from 15% to 24% of the population and Asians increased from 5% to 10%, while the white population decreased from 78% to 65%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sharon Carroll, 41, of Yorba Linda, a dress shop manager, recalled that when she was young, she never dated outside her race because she knew her parents would disapprove.

“It’s funny how those voices of the past stay in your head,” Carroll said. “I’m still only attracted to other Caucasians.

“Yet if my (11-year-old) son brought home a black or a Hispanic or an Asian girlfriend someday, I’d have absolutely no problem with it,” she said. “In fact, I hope he doesn’t have some of the silly biases that I do.”

Andrea Keefer, 18, is young enough to be Carroll’s daughter and said, yes, bias against skin color just doesn’t count with her and her friends.

“I had an Asian boyfriend for eight months when I was 16,” said the white UCLA student, who lives with her parents in Irvine. “Skin color doesn’t affect my feelings about a person. A lot of my Caucasian friends also have dated Asian guys.

“The only time I felt uncomfortable about it was when somebody asked me if I was uncomfortable,” Keefer said.

During the ‘80s, the number of interracial married couples in America doubled to 1.1 million, according to the Census Bureau.

And numerous studies in recent years reflect a changing attitude among young people regarding interracial relationships. For instance, a poll last spring of high school students in Andover, Mass., found 94% approve of interracial dating.

“Young people are more accepting of interracial relationships, especially those in urban areas and more affluent areas,” said Troy Zimmer, professor of sociology at Cal State Fullerton. “Many of them grew up with parents who were more liberal and less prejudiced than were their own parents.”

Zimmer, a white man who teaches a course titled “Social Relationships and Emotions,” is married to Janice Oshio Zimmer, a Japanese American.

Times have changed since he and his wife wed in 1971. Zimmer recalled that his marriage was treated as a curiosity--and worse--at first. “We got a lot of comments along the lines of ‘Why did you do it?’ ” he said.

But he’s not so sure that, on the whole, the older generations have changed their attitudes today--they are merely less blunt. “Just because people are less rude doesn’t mean they’re more enthused,” Zimmer said. “It’s not politically correct to be a bigot, so people are guarded against exposing their bigotry.”

However, he believes that most of his students are genuinely indifferent to his interracial marriage. “When I tell them, they seem to think it’s no big deal,” he said. “It’s more interesting to them that my wife and I have managed to stay together for 27 years.”

Tricia Padilla and Colby Helper, both 21-year-old students at Cal State Fullerton, are engaged to be married. Their parents, they said, have never expressed any concern that she is Filipino and he is white.

“My parents are both schoolteachers, and they work with every race,” Helper said. “They are open-minded.”

Padilla said many of her peers were raised with the same mind-set. “It was instilled in us to look at what’s inside rather than what’s outside,” she said.

Interracial dating is tough without the support of family and friends, Zimmer said.

“There’s a difference between intent and the ability to follow through,” he said. “People will say they have no problem with dating outside their race. But then if they start getting flak from those close to them, they will have afterthoughts.”

Joe Rubalcava, 25, a Latino software engineer in Fullerton, said he frequently dates outside his race--but his father would prefer he didn’t.

“My father wants me to marry a Mexican girl and have Mexican children,” he said. “But my mother says she doesn’t care, as long as I’m happy.”

Grandparents might be more skeptical of interracial relationships than parents. “My boyfriend is Latino,” said 23-year-old Kasandra Lay, a white Fullerton bank teller. “I haven’t run up against any resistance from my parents, but my grandparents don’t like it.”

A belief that those of different races shouldn’t date runs deep in many people. “I’ve only dated white women, and my ex-wife is white,” said a San Clemente salesman, 49, who requested anonymity. “I’m not a bigot--I have friends of every color. I just don’t feel comfortable with interracial marriage, especially between whites and blacks. It’s too tough on the kids.”

Zimmer and his wife were unable to have children, but he remembers negative remarks by strangers about mixed-race children.

“People would say to us, ‘Oh, your poor children will have problems,’ ” recalled Zimmer. “Ironically, it’s that very attitude that creates the problems in the first place. A lot of people both young and old, who are not necessarily hostile bigots, believe that it isn’t a good idea for races to mix.”

Corina Espinoza, director of the Cross-Cultural Center at UC Irvine, can attest firsthand that interracial marriages work. Espinoza, 33, is Latina; her husband of two years, Damon Jackson, 29, is African American.

“We get our share of curious glances,” she said. “And in my family, there was a preference for me marrying someone of Latino background. But there’s been no estrangement or hostility.”

She’s witnessed a growing openness to interracial relationships among young people on campus. “They are in the process of developing their views of the world and people around them,” she said. “They’re not set in their ways--they’re open to everything.”

SUNDAY: Though most are satisfied with single life, they’d trade it for that ideal mate.

TODAY: From picking up the tab to interracial relationships, the dating rules are changing.

TUESDAY: Abundant activities help O.C. attract young, middle-aged and senior singles.

How This Poll Was Conducted

The Times Orange County Poll was conducted by Mark Baldassare and Associates. The telephone survey of 500 unmarried Orange County adult residents was conducted from June 22 to 26 on weekday nights and weekend days using a computer-generated random sample of telephone numbers. The margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. That means it is 95% certain that the results are within 4.5 percentage points of what they would be if every unmarried adult resident in the county were interviewed. For subgroups, the margin of error would be higher. All respondents were guaranteed anonymity; however, some of those polled agreed to be re-interviewed for the stories.

TIMES ORANGE COUNTY POLL: Most Singles Have Active Lives

Few of Orange County’s singles report being lonely very often. Most congregate with friends at least once a week. About half are currently dating.

How often do you get together with friends?

18-34 35-54 55 and Total Men Women years years older Once a week or more 75% 79% 71% 79% 62% 82% A few times a month 16% 12% 19% 13% 24% 6% Once a month or less 8% 8% 8% 6% 13% 10% Not at all 1% 1% 2% 2% 1% 2%

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How often do you experience feelings of loneliness?

18-34 35-54 55 and Total Men Women years years older A lot 7% 8% 7% 7% 9% 8% Sometimes 35% 36% 33% 34% 38% 25% Rarely 38% 36% 40% 41% 35% 34% Never 20% 20% 20% 18% 18% 33%

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How would you describe your social life? Do you spend most of your time going out with friends, going out on dates with one other person or do you not go out much with others?

Total Men Women Friends 58% 56% 60% Dates 17% 15% 18% Not going out much 21% 24% 19% Other 4% 5% 3%

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Which of the following best describes your own situation at this time?

18-34 35-54 55 and Total Men Women years years older Currently dating 47% 48% 46% 56% 38% 28% Interested but not dating 32% 35% 28% 31% 43% 14% Not interested in dating 21% 17% 26% 13% 19% 58%

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Asked of those currently dating: Who typically pays for the date--yourself, the person (or people) you are dating, or do you share the expenses?

Total Men Women Share expenses 44% 41% 46% Yourself 30% 56% 3% Other person 23% 1% 47% It depends 3% 2% 4%

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Asked of those currently dating: How often do you go out on dates?

Total Men Women Once a week or more 72% 73% 72% A few times a month 19% 18% 19% Less often 9% 9% 10%

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Asked of those currently dating: How many people are you currently dating?

Total Men Women One person 72% 68% 77% Two people 16% 18% 13% Three 6% 6% 6% Four or more 6% 8% 4%

Note: Results may not add to 100% of rounding

Source: Times Orange County Poll