If you’ve done any interracial dating, you may have asked yourself how to make it an even better experience. And the good news is that it’s not hard at all! Here are a few things you could try to have an even more rewarding interracial experience.
Celebrate your differences
A huge one is celebrating your differences. Heaven knows that you and your date are not the same. You could be Asian dating a Hispanic, a black man looking for Russian women, or a white woman looking for a black man. It could be any scenario, and each one will be different.
In order to create a bond, and not a barrier, it’s so important that your differences be celebrated. This means understanding that your date or partner is different, and that those are habits and ideas that they have probably carried from childhood. Then, without judging, you need to find what you like and let them know.
Don’t be shy about asking questions, or about explaining something that may seem strange to your date. You’ll both feel better about it.
Forget the Stereotypes
If you’re going to go out with a black woman, don’t expect her to act like you always see in the media or in movies. The same goes for a Russian woman or a lady of any race. If you have weird expectations based on stereotypes, things could go very wrong. Try and understand your date as a person – not as a color or ethnicity.
Take it Slow
Take your time when dating. And then, when it’s time to introduce them to family, don’t surprise them. Make sure they know they’re coming, so that there are no unfiltered surprise reactions. Then, be really honest with your date about what cultural differences there may be, or what they might expect with your family. Go in together and be sure to always be on the same team! Whether the family is accepting or not of interracial relationships, it’s always best to be united and open to discussing the experience with each other.
Communicate
Communication is probably the biggest key to making it work. First off, be patient. Avoid reacting badly to any cultural or traditional habits that your date may have. It may take time to fully understand why someone does what they do. Before you get angry or upset, try and look at it from another point of view – theirs. It’s completely likely that they never meant to upset you.
It goes the other way around, too. If they’re angry with you, you may not think you did anything wrong, but in reality, it was all just a misunderstanding on both sides.
In interracial dating, it happens a lot, so make sure that you take the time to calmly talk things through and know how to appropriately express your feelings.
Overall, you’ll have a great experience that can only be improved if you start to practice these tips! Interracial dating can be a rewarding, joyful experience if you’re willing to work on it.