Interracial Dating – How Do You Date Outside Your Culture Without Betraying Your Roots?
November 2008 – The Multiracial Activist
by Ria Rodriguez
The public’s outlook on socially and culturally sensitive issues such as interracial dating is changing with time. After the legalization of interracial marriages in 1967 to the current legalization of gay marriages, it is evident that, given time, society learns to accept change. Interracial dating and romance is more popular and is becoming well established throughout North American society. Interracial daters are generally contented with the knowledge that they can both maintain their own culture as well as learn another.
Learning a new culture doesn’t make interracial couples feel like they are betraying their roots. In fact, more often than not, parents are the one who stress their children into not abandoning their culture by not dating interracially. However, when it comes to other people outside the relationship, most individuals are willing to accept interracial dating or multicultural dating. However, when it endangers their own customs and beliefs, those same individuals are against it. Many parents are concerned that interracial dating will somehow dilute their own culture and will threaten the preservation of their cultural beliefs. And to them, the only way to control the weakening of their cultural bonds is to restrict the actions of their children i.e. prevent them from dating interracially or outside of their culture. They feel that falling in love with someone of a different culture might make their children sacrifice their own traditions in order to make the relationship work.
Technically, it’s not the place of the parents to make such decisions. Realistically, the parents have the power to decide as many children fear disapproval or even worse, isolation.
The best way for interracial couples to deal with their differences in culture is to compromise. It sometimes is the best way to bridge the gap between the varying ethnicities. Choosing the most important traditions from each culture, and including parents’ opinions, will allow the partners and their parents to feel equally significant in the interracial relationship and the blending of cultures. Much as the parents may never be entirely happy with the choices their child has made, at least they won’t feel like they are being stripped of their family roots.Couples from different cultural backgrounds usually aren’t uptight about learning new customs and traditions. New partners may readily accept the challenge of engaging in the practices of different cultural groups.
Exposure to new customs doesn’t mean one leaves their roots behind. Our cultures make us who we are, and that can never be taken away. And blending your culture and your interracial love’s culture is what will make you who you are in your interracial union.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/interracial-dating-how-do-you-date-outside-your-culture-without-betraying-your-roots-625885.html
About the Author: Ria Rodriguez is a writer and regular blogger for www.InterracialDatingCentral.com on all topics to do with relationships and dating in an interracial world. Ria is of mixed race origins and brings a fun and unique perspective on multicultural dating topics.