Would it be awkward/problematic in your family to date outside your race?

[Saramax]

We were discussing interracial relationships at work the other day and I’m intrigued to see how people’s families would react to them dating person of a different ethnicity.

YABU - it would probably be awkward
YANBU - it would be completely normal

No. Nobody blinks. Is it really a problem for many people these days?

No, no one would care.

Would have been extremely awkward because both my parents were/are terribly racist.

@JeandeServiette really? No microaggressions, nobody on eggshells or anything like that?

Nope

No it wouldn’t be an issue in my family at all but then I’m mixed race so…

I have married outside of my race, and I’d say more than half of my family were/are horrified.. and that’s exactly why we have nothing to do with them.

My ds's partner is of a different religion. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. She doesn't understand our family traditions and festivals, doesn't even want to, so I know any grandchildren will be brought up without the amazing sense of community we have.

Worse things happen but it makes me sad to think how different his future could be. Is he happy with her? Yes now, but I hope he doesn't regret it one day.

Cool
😎

We've been doing it in my family for bloody millenia. What is it with this world???

No problem at all. My family is a mix of 'races' and religions.

No one would be blatantly racist. I couldn’t guarantee against micro aggressions. I’d be happy to call them out if I recognized them, but I couldn’t promise they wouldn’t happen.

No, not a problem at all.

Outside if race? There were a few niggly issues, because we grew up in an incredibly tight knit cultural community - and that was just different "white". Next generation down and it's the norm, but suspect there would still be niggles if very different races. I do understand because those of my parents generation who married other races found that they couldn't settle in certain countries with their spouses and some were even kicked out of the country they were in but their spouse couldn't leave for many years so historically anyone that did suffered immense hardship.

Different religions - massive issue. Different denominations of Christianity were tolerated, but always with a "you were brought up knowing which is the RIGHT one" all the time. If a Sikh or a Muslim? I could imagine the collective heart attacks.

No problem for my family, but I live abroad (Asian country) and for a lot of my local friends it would be a huge problem (not for religious reasons but purely based on race).

I've voted YABU, not because I think it would be problematic, just because I have very close family members who would find it so.
So yes would be difficult
I do not agree in any way with any racist views of family members, the complete opposite in fact)

Yes, there's still sadly a lot of racists about.

No.

Maybe because the interracial relationship go back a few generations.

I think my folks would think it wouldn't be an issue and they'd be welcoming, I think they'd mortify me without realising their microaggressions.

Huge problems if I dated a non-human I would imagine

Relationships (plural), go back a few generations, that should be.

Actually not all of them strictly interracial (depending how you define race), but cross cultural relationships and mixed religion marriages too.

My wife is Japanese and has been welcomed into my family with no issue whatsoever. The same is true in reverse, although they have no contact with FiL’s side so I can’t speak for them. Had my wife been in her early twenties when we got married my mother-in-law might have been a bit disappointed but DW was over forty when we got married so MiL was way past caring about anything other than her marrying into a good family.

My American cousin has divorced his first wife and is now engaged to a Muslim from Fiji. That hasn’t gone down very well with my uncle and aunt.

Growing up it was made clear that certain races/religions are not compatible. It was discussed openly that this would be both ways. To some extent I think there is truth in it.

Would have been a massive problem for my parents.

Would be a non-issue for my husband and I and our children.

Hooray for generational growth!