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interraciallife.com article

Interracial Dating 2007 and Beyond

Post date: 2007-01-12

There was a time when love between the races was taboo, and you couldn't even speak of interracial dating out loud. If two people of different races did manage to find each other, they had to keep it hidden. There was no open courting, there were no public dates or displays of affection.

Once an interracial couple's secret became known, society would heap a lot of shame on the couple until it managed to separate them, if it could. Afterwards, the stigma attached to dating outside of one's own race would never quite go away.

But as time marches on, the world is slowly becoming more enlightened, and although interracial dating still presents a certain amount of cultural discomfort for some people. It is far more common and far more accepted than it has ever been in modern history.
Challenges

In addition to societal pressures and prejudices, interracial couples still face other challenges associated with their union.
Family Opposition

If only interracial dating was as easy as two people accepting and caring for each other based on their merits as human beings. Unfortunately, no couple is ever an island, and family members frequently feel the need to have their say in the situation. Parents of one or both individuals may bring up what they consider to be the unsuitability of the match. "What will people think?" "What will the neighbors say?" "What if you have children?" Sadly, prejudice is still alive, and there are some families who still choose to turn away from their children when they become involved in an interracial romance.
Cultural Differences

Men and women may be raised a bit differently from one culture to the next, making it difficult to bridge some of the cultural gaps. For example, Asian and Indian cultures traditionally raise women to be demure, giving way to the preferences of men, while the Latina culture traditionally produces strong women and family matriarchs. So what happens if an Asian man and a Latina woman get together? Sparks may fly, but they won't always be romantic sparks.

This example illustrates the type of social extremes that may be faced by interracial couples trying to integrate their lifestyles and heritages. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "The path to true love never did run straight".
Forging Ahead

Considering the differences that may lie ahead, many people still choose interracial dating. Some of the benefits include:

* The opportunity to set aside preconceived notions about race, religion or color, and really take the chance to get to know someone different from yourself.
* The opportunity to learn about another culture first hand, not from a text book.
* The chance to erase just a little more prejudice from the world.
* A definite expansion of your dating pool.

However, the best reason for dating outside your race is attraction.
Interracial Online Dating

For people seeking to experience interracial dating, online Dating Web Sites provide the perfect opportunity to meet singles from the race(s) they are attracted to. As with most dating sites, a personal profile is used to express what your interests are and what you're looking for in a relationship, effectively narrowing the search to the most potentially fruitful results. Members can then look at other member profiles with the hope of finding the love match they've been searching for.