I think my girlfriend is a little bit racist

she clearly isn't a Nazi or anything but she said something to me awhile go that came off as a bit racist. she said that I look really handsome compared to other black men. I was confused and said what then she said that I don't look like average black dudes. maybe it could be me looking to much into it and she is just saying what she is saying because we are dating but it seems really odd. is this a normal statement for someone to make? also she is Japanese and was born in japan but spend a good 13 years in America.

Voting Results
58% Normal
Based on 31 votes (18 yes)
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Comments ( 42 )
  • We all have preferences on what we like. I tend to have more attraction to my own race tho I’d date others, white is just what I have more attraction in. Just like how I also like brown eyes and hair more than other colors tho I date others and like it brown is just my biggest appeal and we all have things we like most. Sounds like her focus attraction isn’t on your exact race but she’s found you attractive. She may not be attracted to more blacks than another race but obviously will be some she finds attractive. Tho I guess this could be racist in some ways I feel like it’s fairly understandable.

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    • you have a good point thank you.

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  • bleedingdiarhea

    It sounds like maybe she isnt usually attracted to black men, just you. That's not racist at all. It's just preference.

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    • another poster said something similar and I agree.

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  • Boojum

    Japanese society is extremely racist and xenophobia is deeply rooted in the culture. If your girlfriend grew up in Japan - or if she grew up in a first-generation immigrant family - she will have absorbed those attitudes. She may not be consciously aware of them, but they'll still be there, even after she's been living in a different culture for years.

    It seems pretty clear to me that what she said indicates that in her head, there's a stereotype of what a black man looks like, and that guy isn't very attractive. Maybe you should ask her if she's ever told a Japanese boyfriend that he was more handsome than other Japanese men, or if she's ever told a white boyfriend that he was more handsome than other white men. If she hasn't ever done that, then it suggests she thinks of such men as being "normal", while black men are "other".

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    • from what she's told me I'm her second boyfriend and her last boyfriend was Chinese but ill ask to see if she said something similar like that to him. but how would I bring it up?

      yeah Japanese culture is extremely isolationist but crazy thing is when she introduced me to her parents they didn't have any issues with me or the fact that me and their daughter is dating and both of them grew up in japan.

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      • Boojum

        If your relationship is serious enough that you've met her parents and if her comment is really bothering you, why not just tell her about your unease and ask the question?

        It's good that her parents are relaxed about you being involved with her, since that minimises a possibly huge source of tension. Even if racist attitudes are so common in a particular culture that most people don't even know they're racist, that doesn't mean everyone has extreme views on the subject.

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        • your completely right thank you.

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  • IceRed

    At least she thinks ur more handsome than other black men

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    • ha yeah that's one way to look at it a part of me feels that I'm looking way to much into it.

      we have been with each other for about five years now so chances are she means nothing negative by that comment.

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      • LloydAsher

        Japan is way, way more racist than the south. So being a tad racist is about the best you can find nowadays.

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        • bleedingdiarhea

          Ain't that the truth. I had a very short stint in Japan and South Korea in my army days and those are the most racist people I've ever come across. Considering I'm from alabama and louisiana I think that's saying something. Theres hardly a black man in either country and they see them as sub human from what I can tell.

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  • einexile

    If she is a racist, what should she do about it? Do you want her to pretend she has different views from her actual ones, or should she try really hard to believe something that she's concluded isn't true? Maybe you would rather she just keep her thoughts to herself. Should all women do this, or just some of them?

    This is all assuming, of course, that her views aren't correct. Is the fact that they don't coincide with your own evidence of that?

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  • Meatballsandwich

    She is japanese, that's why. The japanese don't have the same openness towards other races as whites have, generally speaking, especially not blacks. This is mainly because of their homogenous society as opposed to the multi-ethnical western world. Also, which race you're most attracted to is not something you can control. I'm a white man and I find myself particularly attracted to certain ethnic groups over others. For example, I think Asians are really cute, especially those of eastern asia, such as your girlfriend. For whites, I'm mostly into slavic girls.

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  • passionpop

    Racist we are all beautiful.

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  • Voray

    It's a backhanded compliment. She's basically saying "you're handsome for a black man" meaning in general she thinks black men are unattractive.

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    • that's what I was thinking.

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      • litelander8

        I think more so, that she doesn't find black dudes attractive. But obviously, she finds you in particular, to be so.

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  • CozmoWank

    She's dating a black guy but you think she's racist?

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    • Voray

      You can date someone from another race and still be racist.

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      • CozmoWank

        Why would you do that?

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        • because racist people are idiotic hypocrite's that's why its not that hard to wrap your head around it.

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      • your not wrong.

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        • CozmoWank

          Did she burn a cross on your side of the bed?

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          • no but racist people do exist who are totally ok with fucking someone from groups they consider other wise inferior.

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            • CozmoWank

              If you think she's racist, or even if you think she's annoying you should dump her. Find someone you feel comfortable with.

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    • no but it seemed off that she would even say it like that.

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  • Doesnormalmatter

    Not racist at all wtf? You have been watching too much cnn.

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    • I don't watch any news networks they are all insane and bias.

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      • Doesnormalmatter

        I agree and thats why I don't watch either. One thing they do, especially at cnn, is call people racist who they don't like and its rediculous.

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        • yeah it is annoying when they do that. but that's not what I'm doing I'm just asking if its normal to say that it be like me making a similar comment about Japanese people which I've never done. then again she could just be saying what she's saying because as another poster said she is attracted to me.

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          • Doesnormalmatter

            Well to answer the post : I don't think your girlfriend is racist.

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  • momwatcher69

    Take it as a compliment. I don't think she's "racist", because if she WAS, she wouldn't be with you, and she wouldn't be dating ANY black guys.
    It would be like me saying: " she's cute .... for an Eskimo ".

    Every race has ugly, and also nice-looking.
    I think you're over-thinking this.

    If you find each other attractive, and care for each other.... end of story.

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    • me and her spoke about it today or yesterday its 12:20 am and yeah it was just me over thinking things but she did apologize for making me feel like it was a borderline insult. I admitted to her that it was kind of silly of me to over think it and I agree with everything that you said.

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      • momwatcher69

        Just enjoy each other, and move on. And next time she says something you are unsure of it's meaning, ASK her, at that time..... don't "over-think" it. Life is too short !

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  • what? I don't think your able to read I was very clear in my question.

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  • chuy

    You dating Trump or any of his followers?, if so then I believe you.

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    • she isn't a fan of trump or any us president.

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      • chuy

        I see

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        • she isn't really political in general she finds it really annoying that's something I agree with.

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          • chuy

            Me too...at least this days.

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