The influence of online dating on interracial relationships

Statistics reveal the extent to which online dating has become embedded in modern society: upwards of one-third of today’s relationships are instigated in the digital environment. One aspect that draws people to these services is the prospect of interacting with people outwith their normal cultural background. Immigration over the centuries has meant so many countries have become melting pots, where people from a variety of origins live side by side, often intermingling. In the USA alone, records reveal around 15% of marriages are between spouses from different ethnic groups. Here’s how online dating has influenced this rise in interracial relationships.

The sheer variety of opportunities

When the first commercial dating site was launched in 1995, it catered to a basic ‘boy meets girl’ demographic. In the decades since then, virtual matchmaking has become a phenomenon, with websites catering to every possible type of relationship. Popping ‘interracial dating’ into your search engine will produce an incredible range of results for black dating. There are long-running generic dating outlets, commanding global memberships running into millions, where interracial dating might typically form a sub-heading of topics to be searched from the main menu. But there are also increasing numbers of sites catering exclusively to members wishing to meet people from a different ethnic heritage.

Breaking down barriers

Online dating services transcend international boundaries, bringing people together from all walks of life. When you sign up for one of these resources, you could easily browse to sub-categories on the homepage offering dating opportunities in different countries. People’s options might once have been restricted to a fairly narrow pool of potential partners – whoever happened to be in the same nightclub or other social settings. Online dating has meant you might find yourself chatting to a charming girl from Kenya or a stunning single from Thailand. The possibilities are endless.

The universal language of love

Dating sites offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to interracial partnerships. Not everyone you are going to encounter is going to have English as their first language, but there will be all sorts of alternative options. Software is also available that will allow you to translate in real-time, although part of the appeal of getting to know someone from a different ethnic or cultural background is mistranslation! Getting words or phrases confused can create a sense of fun, and will help to break the ice as your conversation skills evolve.

Streamlined communication

When you’re getting to know someone from a different race, the advanced communication techniques available on dating sites will help to smooth the way. As you are developing a sense of chemistry, you can exchange regular texts or emails, as well as phone or video chat. You can take advantage of the website’s secure communication channel 24/7, and the more regularly you touch base, the greater your confidence will grow.

Developing chemistry

Although all relationships rely on kindling those all-important sparks of chemistry, this is especially important for interracial romance. It would be common for you to approach this liaison from an apprehensive position, especially if the person you are getting acquainted with follows a different religion, or professes to be of a certain faith while you are indifferent towards any belief system. But the comfortable and informal environment offered by these dating services is always conducive to frank dialogue. The individual you are chatting to is liable to feel much more relaxed, without peers or family members hovering in the background, and making snap judgments. When you and a potential partner are communicating from opposite ends of a computer connection, no one else matters.