dating black men

[FarangFarang]

Is it a bias or pure racism? The way darker skinned people are treated in Thailand is racism to me.

Light skinned black people often discriminate against darker skinned black people so perhaps it's not something unique to Thais. Maybe it's something subconscious.

[Hazel]

First, I wana say that I only read the first two pages of comments before I jumped here to reply.

I am of Southeast Asian ethnicity, although I am not Thai. I honestly can tell you I do not mind a black guy as my BF or husband, although I have never dated one before, for no reason than that none of them has ever tried to date me and I don't know any black guyfriends until this year. However, I remembered one conversation I had with a childhood galfriend over dinner almost 10 years ago. We were talking about the type of guys we will like to date and it eventually got around to her asking me whether when I said I do not mind the race, whether it included "black men". I told her yes, including black men. And it was my first encounter as to how people can still be so racially-minded, EVEN one's own childhood friends.

[FarangFarang]

First, I wana say that I only read the first two pages of comments before I jumped here to reply.

I am of Southeast Asian ethnicity, although I am not Thai. I honestly can tell you I do not mind a black guy as my BF or husband, although I have never dated one before, for no reason than that none of them has ever tried to date me and I don't know any black guyfriends until this year. However, I remembered one conversation I had with a childhood galfriend over dinner almost 10 years ago. We were talking about the type of guys we will like to date and it eventually got around to her asking me whether when I said I do not mind the race, whether it included "black men". I told her yes, including black men. And it was my first encounter as to how people can still be so racially-minded, EVEN one's own childhood friends.

I was talking to a Thai friend of mine and she was gossiping about someone and said, "Oh, she's so desperate to live in America her boyfriend is a black man."

[Hazel]

I was talking to a Thai friend of mine and she was gossiping about someone and said, "Oh, she's so desperate to live in America her boyfriend is a black man."

Oh, that's so naughty and unkind of her

One of my guyfriends here is black and many people, including myself, agree that he is one of the nicest, most helpful guy that there is

[kaunitz]

Light skinned black people often discriminate against darker skinned black people so perhaps it's not something unique to Thais. Maybe it's something subconscious.

But it is also going the other way round. Try to get around in Africa as a white man. I had the experience in Eritrea and I heard even worse stories from a frined who loves Africa and used to travel around there. White men down there are mostly discriminated (as my friend told me, especially in villages where they normally are not allowed to enter or sleep) - in Eritrea (although people there do not see themselves as "black" due to their more caucasian features except for the skin colour) I always had to hear "oh, Europeans, Whites, they are bad people" - without having given them any reason.

Maybe we Caucasians see it only from our point of view, but racism is everywhere, against all kinds of races, skin colours and places where people derive from.

[BTIBT]

Light skinned black people often discriminate against darker skinned black people so perhaps it's not something unique to Thais. Maybe it's something subconscious.

Some light skinned Black people do not "date" dark skinned Black people because of personal preference but it's far from often and it's not discrimination. It's just how some people do not date fat or skinny people. Its because of a personal preference. It doesn't mean I don't like them as a person because of how they look... I'm just not physically attracted to them.

[BTIBT]

But it is also going the other way round. Try to get around in Africa as a white man. I had the experience in Eritrea and I heard even worse stories from a frined who loves Africa and used to travel around there. White men down there are mostly discriminated (as my friend told me, especially in villages where they normally are not allowed to enter or sleep) - in Eritrea (although people there do not see themselves as "black" due to their more caucasian features except for the skin colour) I always had to hear "oh, Europeans, Whites, they are bad people" - without having given them any reason.

Maybe we Caucasians see it only from our point of view, but racism is everywhere, against all kinds of races, skin colours and places where people derive from.

I've noticed since I've been in Thailand that just about everyone equates being Black with being African. That would have been the case 152 years ago but that's not the case now. I know plenty of Black people who have never met African person or seen one other than television. Black people born and raised in different parts of the world are as different as night and day. Many people don't seem to understand that. Especially people who've only been around one kind. It would be the same as saying all white people are the same regardless of where they come from.

[BTIBT]

Oh, that's so naughty and unkind of her

One of my guyfriends here is black and many people, including myself, agree that he is one of the nicest, most helpful guy that there is

That's racism plain and simple. I'm sure your friend doesn't say the same thing when she sees a 19 year Thai girl with a 65 year old, overweight White man.

[FarangFarang]

Some light skinned Black people do not "date" dark skinned Black people because of personal preference but it's far from often and it's not discrimination. It's just how some people do not date fat or skinny people. Its because of a personal preference. It doesn't mean I don't like them as a person because of how they look... I'm just not physically attracted to them.

First off, that is a form of discrimination if the reason they don't like dark skinned people is because of the shade of their skin. Here's the Wikipedia entry on colorism. Note that African-American frats and sororities often discriminated based on the darkness of the skin. If you google around a bit you'll find some interesting stuff on the subject.

[FarangFarang]

But it is also going the other way round. Try to get around in Africa as a white man. I had the experience in Eritrea and I heard even worse stories from a frined who loves Africa and used to travel around there. White men down there are mostly discriminated (as my friend told me, especially in villages where they normally are not allowed to enter or sleep) - in Eritrea (although people there do not see themselves as "black" due to their more caucasian features except for the skin colour) I always had to hear "oh, Europeans, Whites, they are bad people" - without having given them any reason.

Maybe we Caucasians see it only from our point of view, but racism is everywhere, against all kinds of races, skin colours and places where people derive from.

Racism is everywhere and will always be. It's part of our human nature to have certain feelings about people who are like ourselves. If I'm white, I'm probably going to identify more with white people. If I'm black then I'm probably going to identify more with people who are black. Chances are that people who are closer to you in color share a similar culture thus our minds are wired to have more of a connection. It's the reason why you feel a bond with a stranger who grew up close to your hometown or knows people you know.