Dating someone of another race can be an enriching and enlightening experience, and fortunately, in a world that celebrates diversity and encourages multiculturalism, dating someone of another race is becoming more common.
However, there remain some issues common to all relationships and others that are more specific.
Every couple is different, and there is no single recipe for long-term happiness for interracial couples, so we’ve put together some facts and tips to help you understand how dating someone of another race can positively influence your relationship.
Facts and statistics about interracial relationships
- According to Pew Research, the number of interracial marriages has increased by 14% over the past 50 years, accounting for 17% of all new marriages in the United States in 2015.
- The same study found that the number of interracial marriages increases with higher levels of education and living in metropolitan areas.
- Pew also found that the number of people who support marrying a close relative to a member of a different race has increased to 85% across all demographic groups since the 1990s.
- 45% of urban Americans believe that dating or marrying someone of a different race is good for society.
Some interracial dating tips
Being an interracial couple can come with challenges, such as family expectations, social prejudice, discrimination in social situations, and facing outdated stereotypes.
While you may not be able to completely avoid these factors from intruding on your relationship, here are some ways to deal with them in a mutually mature way
- Acknowledge each other’s feelings: neither of you can fully understand the other’s life experiences; traumas are different for everyone, and the best thing you can do is to be open and understanding about what bothers your partner, even if it doesn’t bother you, and not have specific expectations about how your partner will react to it.
- Learn to support each other and ignore others – Interracial couples will always face societal prejudice and ignorance. It is important to know when to support each other and when to ignore each other’s ignorance. This can be especially important in the case of family members, who may be old-fashioned and never change their minds.
- Be prepared for the meeting with your parents – For some parents, it may be a difficult situation, for others it may be no problem at all. Talk it over with them beforehand, give them time to think if they are nervous, and be polite during this time so they will like you and ultimately want to get to know your partner better.
- Be informed: checking your privileges can be a barrier to meeting people of a different race than your own. Realize that you won’t always understand, but you can overcome this by learning more about your partner’s ethnicity and being open to asking questions about certain things.
- Remember that racial differences are only a small factor in a relationship, so don’t make too much of it. They will come up from time to time, and it’s how you deal with them that matters. At the core of the relationship is still two people trying to build intimacy and love for each other, so focus on that.
Positive personal growth through interracial dating
While we do not encourage people to pursue interracial relationships because they have experienced them or because they think they are better or different than other romantic relationships, there are several personal benefits to dating someone outside your race that counteract any external negativity.
- By broadening the range of people you meet and relate to, you can broaden your horizons, expose yourself to new ways of living and thinking, and empathize more with other cultures.
- Exposure to cultures you know little about can be exciting, as it gives you new experiences and opportunities to learn about different parts of the world.
- Through these experiences and interactions, and by opening your mind to them, even if they are a bit foreign to you, you can broaden your horizons and learn to think differently.
- In these moments, by finding new perspectives, learning more about the world, and negotiating cultural differences as partners, you can grow as a person and as a way of going out and interacting in the world.
- In doing so, you can also break down old prejudices and stereotypes that you innocently accepted and become a more tolerant and open person, which may make some people uncomfortable.
Finding the right people never hurts
Socializing with people outside your race is no longer the problem it was 30 years ago. Today it’s so common that we often don’t even think about it. But even if you don’t have different cultures, even if you live three blocks from each other in the city you live in, there are still difficulties to face. There will be experiences that are non-negotiable for both of you, and there will be times when people and society will test our patience. The key is to be open and grow together from these experiences.
At Flirtfordate, we specialize in forming deep and lasting connections by focusing on compatibility and only on singles who are truly committed to the dating process and to meeting someone special, regardless of race, culture, or sexuality. Find someone to meet now, join Flirtfordate.
Sometimes love comes from the most unexpected places
Some people aren’t physically attracted to people of a race different from their own, and that’s okay – you can’t choose who you like, and most relationships start with butterflies in your stomach when you first meet someone. However, I must stress that people of color appreciate beauty in different colors.
If you want to try interracial dating, there has never been a better time. The proliferation of online dating and social media has made it easier to meet and date people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, even if you live, socialize, and work with people of the same race as you.
Does She Like Me Back?
Being Vulnerable in Your Relationship
Don’t worry too much about what family and friends will think of your interracial relationship
People tend to date and marry members of their race, which is a byproduct of the society they live in and their social environment.
Social pressures and expectations of family and friends also influence the decision. Some parents do not want their children to be in a mixed-race relationship because it is easier for them to be with someone who shares their background, values, and traditions.
Final thought
Interracial relationships can be difficult, but it’s important to have a strong foundation as a couple so that outside influences from family, friends, and strangers don’t pull you apart.
The key to a successful relationship is open and honest communication and being able to talk calmly about race.
Sing up with Google