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hows the inter-racial dating scene tolerated?


bkueb73

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In tampa, its not too bad, but you still get some stares.

what about Houston?

My wife and I don't get a second look.

In Houston, I've never once noticed a strange look. About 5 or 6 years ago we spent a week in Atlanta. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, but noticed that we were constantly stared at as if we were aliens. It was the strangest sensation, since we'd never experienced it in Houston.

In that week in Atlanta, we saw two other interracial couples. We actually stopped and spoke with both of them...neither couple was from Atlanta.

We noticed blacks and whites frequented the same bars and restaurants there, but we didn't see them mingling. We didn't see groups of mixed races hanging out together. We definitely felt like we were in the Old South...a very strange feeling indeed, in such a huge metropolitan area. I can't say we were treated badly in any way...just stared at everywhere we went.

I think Houston is pretty tolerant, at least compared to our experiences in Atlanta. But that's not to say that we're all a bunch of color-blind people here, for better or worse. I work with plenty of people that can be pretty ignorant at times. Of course, I've been pretty ignorant myself many a-times...probably has something to do with being raised by rednecks (and I don't mean that in a negative way) from Pasadena. But you live and learn.

Anyhow...I've never felt uncomfortable in Houston. Not in the city, and not in the suburbs. Not even in Pasadena. :D

Edited by Original Timmy Chan's
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My wife and I are of different races and never once received any strange looks. Everyone of my friends is from a different culture or region of the world, and all of them have either girlfriends or wives that are from a different race and/or culture.

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I've never thought to stop and stare at an inter-racial couple.. unless they were ugly! :P

Just kidding. I think Houston might be one of the most progressive cities in the South.

Edited by Jeebus
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I've never thought to stop and stare at an inter-racial couple.. unless they were ugly! :P

Just kidding. I think Houston might be one of the most progressive cities in the South.

Just can't get enough of that ugly, huh? :lol:

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I see a lot of inter-racial couples in Houston and it's suburbs and I have friends that are in an inter-racial relationship and they don't have many problems at all.

I have actually heard of what Original Timmy talked about with Atlanta on a few occasions. It's surprising to me.

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well my wife and i (she's mexican) barely get a second glance here in houston.

we lived in oklahoma for a while and all the time was running into people giving us looks and even one lady at a golden corral refused to serve my wife...that was the only time i've ever thrown a fit in a restaurant and made a scene...

speaking of atlanta- we were there once to visit her uncle...had the top off the car and pulled off 75 into Canton...all we saw were inbreds with confed flags everywhere and all we got were jaw dropped stairs...

i so happened to have some charlie daniels in the car so i blasted "souths gonna do it again" so everyone in the town could hear it...that soothed 'em enough so they stopped making nooses...

it was funny :)

i think most of houston is fine- i'd feel just fine walking down the street with a black woman w/out fear of people not approving.

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a little twist on this...

if you are a black man, with a white woman, the black women are going to give you and or her a look. houston isn't the only place you'll get that, of course, but you will get it. ESPECIALLY if you are a good looking man or a man who looks like he might make a high six figure income.

as far as other races, no one will really look at you any differently as an interracial couple... but to say no one cares isn't exactly true, either. they just keep mum about it.

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a little twist on this...

if you are a black man, with a white woman, the black women are going to give you and or her a look . houston isn't the only place you'll get that, of course, but you will get it. ESPECIALLY if you are a good looking man or a man who looks like he might make a high six figure income.

as far as other races, no one will really look at you any differently as an interracial couple... but to say no one cares isn't exactly true, either. they just keep mum about it.

ive heard that alot.

but, as a white guy, i like to date all types of girls.

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My very best friend of the past 15 years is a blonde haired green eyed white woman, and in that time I can count on one hand how many stares we've received.

Despite a very negative situation we experienced while sitting on a bench in Rice Village about 5 years ago, Houston overall I would say is pretty tolerant.

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Don't forget the Aggies on here also.

Okay, since I'm not too familiar w/ your posting style, I'm not sure which way you meant this. If you meant Aggies are not tolerant of interracial couples, then I would say your classification is wrong. I'm an Aggie and the first guy I dated at A&M was a different race -no problems. While I am married to someone of the same race, we have several friends who are part of an interracial couple. I don't think about it either way. (Yes, I'm sure there are a few Aggies who might object (as there might be in any group), but as a whole, this was not a problem/ issue. If you meant this as an Aggie joke about not knowing where Vidor is, then that reflects well on us that we don't know where one of the most racist Texas towns is located ;) . Aggies are used to Aggie jokes so if this was your intent, I'm not offended as I know we are so fascinating that we must be talked about -lol ;) . Seriously though, I just wanted to clarify as many Aggies are very tolerant and I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

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Okay, since I'm not too familiar w/ your posting style, I'm not sure which way you meant this. If you meant Aggies are not tolerant of interracial couples, then I would say your classification is wrong. I'm an Aggie and the first guy I dated at A&M was a different race -no problems. While I am married to someone of the same race, we have several friends who are part of an interracial couple. I don't think about it either way. (Yes, I'm sure there are a few Aggies who might object (as there might be in any group), but as a whole, this was not a problem/ issue. If you meant this as an Aggie joke about not knowing where Vidor is, then that reflects well on us that we don't know where one of the most racist Texas towns is located ;) . Aggies are used to Aggie jokes so if this was your intent, I'm not offended as I know we are so fascinating that we must be talked about -lol ;) . Seriously though, I just wanted to clarify as many Aggies are very tolerant and I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

I'm not sure, but I think he was saying "don't forget the Aggies on here" in regards to their inter-species dating practices! :lol::lol::lol:

Let's just say Rick Santorum isn't very well-liked in Aggieland.

Edited by Original Timmy Chan's
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I don't really think twice if I see an Interracial couple. With the companies I've worked with/seen, its not uncommon.

Personally, I don't look at race when "dating". Its all about the 7 figures, laced with the platnium -not the silver stuff-, 10**** or bigger, know how to **** ** and ***** ** What What?

(Sorry, I miss TLC :( )

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  • 3 weeks later...
Don't under estimate Houston's tolerance. Interracial couples don't get a second look. My best friends: a black and white couple (oh, by the way, gay). B)

Unless your friends are the flamboyant, sterotypical gay types, and hang out in areas outside of Montrose, I think when most people see two guys hanging out together, one black, one white, most people are more likely to think they're friends, not a gay couple. Or maybe I'm not as hip as I think I am.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Unless your friends are the flamboyant, sterotypical gay types, and hang out in areas outside of Montrose, I think when most people see two guys hanging out together, one black, one white, most people are more likely to think they're friends, not a gay couple. Or maybe I'm not as hip as I think I am.

When the four of us go out to dinner etc., people know. You're not that hip troyboy, but that's ok. We love you anyway. ;) Houston is definitely the most tolerant city in this part of the nation and is only getting better. I love my town and feel comfortable here. Shucks, we have domestic partner benefits at work now. Of course it is costing me a fortune to keep my sweetheart in insurance but it is so worth it. Two thumbs way up for Houston's tolerance. B)

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I'm gay and my boyfriend is black, so I have become much more observant about interracial couples than I was before we started dating. I don't think we get many stares from the straight community (maybe they assume we are just friends, like troyboy noted above, or perhaps they just don't pay attention at all). However, in the gay community, I am regularly glared at by black guys. I discussed it with the bf and we reason there is a feeling that I have 'stolen' someone from the black community that they could be dating.

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When the four of us go out to dinner etc., people know. You're not that hip troyboy, but that's ok. We love you anyway. ;) Houston is definitely the most tolerant city in this part of the nation and is only getting better. I love my town and feel comfortable here. Shucks, we have domestic partner benefits at work now. Of course it is costing me a fortune to keep my sweetheart in insurance but it is so worth it. Two thumbs way up for Houston's tolerance. B)

One or both of your friends or possibly yourself must be screamers or you guys are doing something most "straight" guys wouldn't do with one another (holding hands or some other overly affectionate display). One of my best friends is gay, and I never knew he and his boyfriend were a couple until they came out to me. Not because I'm unhip, but because they never did anything outwardly that would make me and most of our mutual friends think they were a couple, and they still don't. I waited tables years ago in a very gay-friendly restuarant in DC. And I've seen my share of straight masculine looking/acting guys, that I might not have thought were gay, suddenly start some serious lip-locking. So if people at let's say Bennigan's in Sugarland, know your friends are an interracial gay couple, it's probably because of something they're doing.

And I haven't really spent enough time in Houston to get a feel for how tolerant it is. This is not to get the Dallas/Houston crap started, but I was blown away at how gay tolerant Dallas is. I have been out in the Montrose area, and it's a lot of fun. But I've got to say the Cedar Springs/ Oaklawn area is a lot more vibrant. And I've always considered Dallas as one of the gayest cities I've ever seen. (Not that there's anything wrong with that)

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One or both of your friends or possibly yourself must be screamers or you guys are doing something most "straight" guys wouldn't do with one another (holding hands or some other overly affectionate display). One of my best friends is gay, and I never knew he and his boyfriend were a couple until they came out to me. Not because I'm unhip, but because they never did anything outwardly that would make me and most of our mutual friends think they were a couple, and they still don't. I waited tables years ago in a very gay-friendly restuarant in DC. And I've seen my share of straight masculine looking/acting guys, that I might not have thought were gay, suddenly start some serious lip-locking. So if people at let's say Bennigan's in Sugarland, know your friends are an interracial gay couple, it's probably because of something they're doing.

And I haven't really spent enough time in Houston to get a feel for how tolerant it is. This is not to get the Dallas/Houston crap started, but I was blown away at how gay tolerant Dallas is. I have been out in the Montrose area, and it's a lot of fun. But I've got to say the Cedar Springs/ Oaklawn area is a lot more vibrant. And I've always considered Dallas as one of the gayest cities I've ever seen. (Not that there's anything wrong with that)

Actually, Houston has more gays than Dallas Ft Worth combined. I lived in SF in 1980 and that is definitely the gayest place I have ever been. DFW is ok, but their gay pride parade is little and, well, why bother the drive up there? Houston's Pride is No. 1 in the Southwest and more of a Mardi Gras than parade.

Speaking of being out and about, no we don't kiss and make out and all that ignorant stuff when we are in straight environments. But we joke, laugh and I have given my boyfriend an occasional hug. And people in nearby tables can hear your conversations and we don't tone it down because, hey, we're here, we're queer and people need to deal with it. In Houston, we haven't had any problems with that type of thing. H-town is used to gays and interracial couples are so common that a stare would surprise me. I am sure, of course, that people have encountered rednecks which, God forbid, I won't even go there and keep my distance. I think America is getting so much better with tolerance of alternative lifestyles. That is a good thing. B)

troyboy, you are more hip than you ever realize. In fact, you are totally cool.

Edited by houstonfella
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