The proportion of inter-ethnic unions in Singapore rose from 5.6 per cent of all marriages in 1965 to 22.9 per cent in 2019. This, according to SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan, is the epitome of integration. "When you marry someone outside of your own race...it's not just a man marrying a woman, it's about two sets of families coming together to learn how to celebrate each other's cultural norms. That is a big deal," Prof Straughan explained. Other observers agree with her view.