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Is It Hard to Be in an Interracial Relationship?
Despite our best efforts at leveling the playing field for people of every race, creed, and social standing, there are still some questions that come up whenever people from different groups fall in love and want to be together.
Whether it be friction created by their families or inherent difficulties in understanding based on different upbringing, it isn’t always easy to be in an interracial relationship. It isn’t that usual relationships are a walk in the park either. It’s just that the points of contention in an interracial relationship are often different from those in more homogeneous couples. Although these obstacles are different and unknown to most people, they aren’t entirely unmaneuverable, but it does take a certain finesse to make things work.
If you’re considering an interracial relationship, here are a few things to keep in mind:
More communication is needed.
Two different races tend to have been raised in different households that held different values. Things that are meaningful to one partner might be an afterthought to the other. This means that a lot more communication is necessary to get both partners on the same page than in relationships that have shared values and traditions. Both partners should take the time to carefully figure out exactly what each of them considers essential, as well as why exactly those things are important in the first place. As you talk to your partner more and more, you’ll be able to understand the driving force behind certain traditions even if you don’t understand them at face value.
It requires more internal confidence.
If you’re someone who’s easily manipulated by the opinions of others, being in an interracial relationship might prove to be complicated. Not everyone can be considered progressive, with a fair bit of the population still completely against the idea of two people of different races dating each other, much less marrying each other. The article Interracial Dating: 80 Relationship Experts Reveal How Interracial Couples Can Face Challenges highlights some common issues that people face from external pressures when dating interracially. All this means you should focus on being ultimately confident in your relationship from both the outside looking in and the other way around. As long as you put little emphasis on what others think, and care only for how you feel about each other, there will be less turbulence in the long run.
Understand physical differences.
People from different races can trace their ancestry back to different parts of the world – that’s fairly obvious. What might not be immediately apparent is that the traits evolved to survive in one part of the world aren’t the same as those traits meant for a different part. For instance, hair consistency and care routines are different for African-American hair compared to their Caucasian counterparts. This means it’s important to take the upkeep needs of your partner’s body seriously even if you can’t personally relate to them.
Conclusion
It would be wrong to say that it isn’t hard to be in an interracial relationship because all relationships are, by definition, difficult and require work from both parties. But then, are they more difficult than any other relationship? Not necessarily. There’s just a different set of considerations necessary to ensure a strong bond compared to a more stereotypical pairing. As long as you both care for each other and can communicate your feelings adequately, there should be little concern.
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