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It’s the year 2020 and we’ve learned that romance has no limitations. When cupid strikes, it happens to just about anyone and no religion, race, gender, caste or age comes in the way of that. When two people are in love, there is nothing that holds them back from wanting to be with each other but unfortunately, the rest of the world does not seem to think so. We live in a world that is connected through global diversity but when it comes to love and marriage, it is quite sad to know that several individuals openly express their disapproval towards interracial couples. While this might be upsetting to many who are on the receiving end of it, there are a few tips and tricks to handle such inappropriate criticism and we are here let you in on a few of them:
- Haters Gonna Hate
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There are always going to be a set of people who do not approve of your relationship. They seem incapable of opening their minds to acceptance and are not afraid to openly express it. Sometimes, it is quite alarming to see strangers on the street ignorantly expressing disgust when they come across interracial couples. What do you do when you’re on the receiving end of it? Nothing. Simply ignore them and carry on with your lives.
- Don’t Drop The Bomb
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You know your family and friends more than anyone else. If they are open-minded and have been exposed to interracial couples in the past, they would probably not have a tough time accepting your partner from a different race. However, if they are socially conservative and have never had friends from different races, let alone been in relationships with them, it is better to give them a heads up before you spring the news on them.
- Try Before Giving Up
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There may be instances where your family does not accept your partner from another race solely because of the difference in your origins. Instead of getting into an argument, the wise thing to do is to reason with them and understand where they are coming from. This will enable you to clear out any misconceptions that they have and you might help them change their minds.
- Boundaries Are Important
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It might be essential for you that your family approves of your partner, but that does not give them the right to demean them or pretend like they do not exist. Many families often interfere in your personal space and try to set you up with other people who belong to the same race even after you’ve told them that you are not interested. They tend to ignore the existence of your partner and it is up to you to set those boundaries and make it clear that they do not have the right to do so.
- Protect Your Partner
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Sometimes your family members openly disrespect or humiliate your partner solely because of their race. It is your responsibility to stand up for them in such a situation and protect them from your racist family and friends. This gives them the confidence that they have your support, even when your family disapproves of them.
- Give People The Benefit Of Doubt
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Several times it so happens that you tend to get so conscious that you’re in an interracial relationship, that you assume everyone is against you. Give people the benefit of doubt so you do not end up jumping to conclusions. If people are looking at you and your partner while you’re walking down the street, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are racist, it could also mean that they think you two make an attractive couple.
You might think that in this day and age race does not matter, but the sad reality is that there are a lot of people in the world who give race and other trivial factors more importance than they deserve. Let’s hope that we all move forward as a society towards acceptance and realize that we are all human beings irrespective of where we come from. Have you ever been a victim of racial criticism? Comment below and let us know how you dealt with it.
