This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.
- People assume you exclusively date/like people of the race you’re currently (or have) dated.
- I have gotten, “Oh, so you only date _________guys?” or “Why don’t you like _________ guys of your own race?” more times than I can count. It gets old quick when people assume you have a “type” that just happens to be race-centered. You can like a person for their taste in music, or how they make you laugh, not just how they look.
- It is not as rare as it seems anymore!
- It’s a heartwarming thing to know that you won’t be judged for dating someone outside your race, in America at least. I know tons of interracial couples who, just like me, don’t see the big deal about their relationship being interracial. It just shows how far we’ve come as a society that two people of different ethnicities can be in relationships without judgment from the majority of the public. However, that isn’t to say that being a part of an interracial couple, for some the scrutiny hasn’t lessened over time. One student said, “You get the looks of course,” discussing his relationship with a white girl as a black man in Singapore. Unfortunately, not all regions are as accepting as Ann Arbor, but with time we hope that interracial relationships will be universally accepted.
- Different religions means celebrating more holidays.
- So technically you don’t have to be of two ethnicities to get this one, but still! You’ll learn all about their religion, if they practice any, and they will learn about yours. It is so fun to have someone to teach about why you celebrate the things you do and have them join in.
- Cultural differences are REAL.
- Like the last point, you end up learning a LOT when you’re in a relationship with someone of a different ethnicity. This means everything from trying new foods that their mother sends home to you, to understanding how their families work. While it may be difficult at times to fully comprehend these differences and accept them, it can be a lot of fun too! It’s like getting a crash course in another culture without leaving home.
Image courtesy of Huffington Post.