Helping Your Friends with Your Interracial Relationship

There are so many different people that you will have to approach with your interracial relationship. If you have a lot of good friends that would likely be around you and your partner a lot, then you’re going to have to feel them out and see whether or not they will cause any issues related to your relationship. What can you do, though? Here are some ideas that you may want to consider.

You’ll want to be gentle about the whole topic, depending on your group of friends. Some friends are not going to care about the color of anyone’s skin; they will just care that you’re happy and that you’re being treated as you should be. Other friends may be a little more apprehensive about the whole thing, which could make it difficult for you to explore the ideas and options that come up during the process. Don’t just bring your girlfriend or boyfriend to an outing and expect everyone to be all hunky-dory about it; mention it ahead of time. Show them pictures of the two of your together or do something else subtle so that you’re not shoving it in their faces, and you’ll be able to feel out how you should proceed.

In most cases, that “warning” (to prevent shock) is going to be enough for most people. However, if someone is causing an issue or making a scene about it, you need to pull them aside and talk to them about what is going on. Be honest with them about your observations and how you feel, and you’ll be better able to move forward with your relationship. For a majority of people who may have a problem with it at first, if you point it out that they’re being a jerk, they’re going to back down and act a lot nicer to everyone in the situation. This makes it more pleasant and enjoyable for everyone that would have to stand and watch what was going on. Who wants to be the one that ruins all of the fun that you’re having?

Have someone that is still being a jerk about it, even after talking to them and trying to help them adjust? Then it may be time to ditch that friend. It may be hard, but if they aren’t going to support you and your partner, it’s just going to make things awkward and difficult. Lay down the law and let them know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and then leave things as they were. Be ready and willing to give them another chance if they decide to change their ways, but don’t let them come back into the friendship and then go back to treating your partner horribly. Find that balance, feel things out, and you’ll have an easier time determining what exactly you should do.

Whether you’re a white woman dating a black man, a black man dating a white woman, or anything in between, you will definitely come across situations where these sorts of things have to be taken care of or they can end up being a huge problem in your relationship later on. Helping your friends through your interracial relationship can take time and energy, but it can be incredibly helpful for your relationship as well. What have you done with your friends when it came to your interracial relationship? What do you plan on doing if it becomes a problem at all? Let us know in the comments and share some of your stories so that we can all learn from them!