Sexual Preference = Racism?

[Hawk of Battle]

racism
n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race


No, it's not racism to not be attracted to people of different backgrounds. It's only racism if you aren't interested in them because you think they are inferior to yourself.

In other words, you can not like anyone, of any background, but as soon as you start thinking of them as lesser than you, or actively discrimminate against them, then it's racism.

 

[Emeli]

Different races have different appearances. When you're lookng at someone's purely physical attributes, their race is a factor in that. Such is the shallowness of being attracted to people.

 

[Sun Flash]

racism is having hate towards another ethnicity yes? Then I don't think it's just a sexual preference, unless you actively despise their skin colour.

 

[PoliceBox63]

Sexual Preference = Whites turn you on. Blacks don't.
Racism = Whites are superior, Blacks are inferior.
Sexual preference is not racism, it's hormones.

 

[_Cake_]

It's not racist it's taste, if you said you only like natural blonds or redheads no one would say a thing. I'm part black and I'm not attracted to black men. Personally I would find it racist if you only gave someone a chance in the dating world because of there race. If someone wasn't initially attracted to me I would rather they leave me alone!

 

[Scobie]

DELETED

 

[Ambrose von Carstein]

Of course it's not racist. How could you be blamed for not finding them attractive? That's just the way you are.
Then naturally, I can't be blamed for hating those filthy black apes, and those thieving jews, ect. It's just the way I am.

 

[Marmooset]

But anyway, I mentioned that I'm not initially sexually attracted to black women, but after getting to know someone better, I can be attracted to anyone.

Ugh, this topic again.
I think the racism lies not in the preference, but in the mindset. You like what you like - but the statement has pigeonholed an entire race (one that outnumbers your own, globally, assuming you're white) into a single type. I think that's where the problem lies.

Now, you could solve the problem in a nuclear manner: "But honey, I wasn't that attracted to you initially..." -but that may make the initial issue pale in comparison.

Babies are born 'racist'.

This is utter bullshit. And the kind of thinking designed to absolve someone of responsibility. Babies are born pro-mama and with the appreciation of a full teat. Everything else is learned.
And while an individual can credit his/her racist impulses to genes, upbringing, culture, peers, etc., when it comes down to it as a rational human being, if you're racist you only have one person to blame.
All other excuses are just that: excuses.

 

[Mcupobob]

Hmm I don't think its racist I personally perfer women with a darker skin tone or pale with red hair. Its just what you perfer nothing you can change about it.

 

[ThisWasAWaste]

I agree with most of the posts here, you aren't racist just because you aren't attracted to certain ethnic groups (or at least haven't seen anyone in said group that you'd call attractive). I'm white and personally I've seen people of all races I'd consider attractive and plenty more I'd consider unattractive. Depending on race certain people tend to have different body/facial characteristics so this may play into it, if you find a certain type of face unattractive. If it's just the skin color that turns you off then THAT might be getting close to the line.

I can say that from when I first met my current fiancee (getting married next month ) to when we started dating (over a year after we first met) I cannot remember once thinking about her race until she discussed it (she's full blooded Puerto Rican, though many mistake her for half black because of her extremely curly hair and lighter skin).

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

Sexual attraction is not a choice. It's like accusing a man of being a male chauvinist because he's gay.

I aint racist at all but I just don't find black women attractive at all.

Perfect answers.

I don't like the whole contrast of colour in a sexual situation, it freaks me out. I don't know why, but it just does.

Yet when I choose friends I pay any attention to colour, just personality. I've known cool black people, I've known white people who are - for lack of a better phrasing of it - dicks. Therefore I'd say I'm not really racist, just have a certain sexual preference... and interests... Yeah let's not get into those.

 

[derdeutschmachine]

The fact that you said you could grow to like them is the key. Hating them for the single reason of skin color is racism.

 

[aPod]

No, you aren't racist. When your girlfriend said it was the same as not giving a black person the same chance as a white person you should have said "sure if i was hiring a prostitute that would be true, but i dont see why whether or not i'd want to bang someone would be criteria for hiring someone."

Oh but i do have a crude sense of humor.

It is interesting though, i find that im not super attracted to balck girls but boy what i wouldnt do for halle berry or alicia Keyes! Like you said though true attraction goes deeper than physical lust.

Racism and sexual preference i don't see how the two are related.

 

[Lexodus]

No. Long story short, your girlfriend is an idiot. It's all about sexual preference; if you like it, you like it, and if you don't, you don't. However, that said, I used to think that all black girls were unnattractive/not my type, but you'd be surprised how quickly that changes when you meet/see an actually attractive one, as in, objectively attractive- good looking, well proportioned, etc., basically anything you'd look for in somebody of a different colour. Really, it's the characteristics that you look for, and you're not going to be attracted to anyone, of any colour, if they don't have at least some of those characteristics, and when they do, you just might.

Personally, I'm attracted to beauty. No, seriously; ugly white girls are on the same level as ugly black girls or ugly hispanic girls etc. for me, but when I see somebody beautiful. whatever their colour, it'll do it for me.

 

[Lexodus]

Well documented (by someone I assume) my affinity for red hair. So happens those ladies are generally of Scottish, Irish or English ancestry. I have no issue with women of other varieties, but cannot help it that red hair is automatic plus for me since adolescence.

YAAAY REDHEADS. Especially that Karen Gillan. Mmmm...

 

[WolfThomas]

I don't know, I'm white but I don't find really fair skinned people attractive and I find Asian and Indian women quite attractive.

 

[Therumancer]

I was having a discussion with my on-and-off girlfriend. We're currently off because she's going to be in another state for at least a year, and we don't want to deal with the long-distance relationship because we've both had bad experiences with them.

But anyway, I mentioned that I'm not initially sexually attracted to black women, but after getting to know someone better, I can be attracted to anyone. She accuses me of blatantly being racist and equates it to if I were an employer, I wouldn't give a black person the same chance as someone of any other race. I tried to explain my point, but because this was a conversation over the internet, neither of us could convey the true meaning of our words.

There's much from the conversation that I've left out here. I could go into further details upon request. I just don't see how my initial sexual attraction is the same as me being a racist, and this didn't seem to me to be a very big issue, but one of my major flaws is that I can't let a conversation just end, because I feel it has to have some sort of resolution.

I know this is hardly the kind of conversation to have at four in the morning, and I probably shouldn't have said anything. I just fear I may have lost my greatest friend forever.

I know we're probably both blowing the whole thing way out of proportion, but what are your views on the subject?

Hard to say without knowing you better.

Despite the occasional accusations to the contrary, I'm not a racist, and feel all kinds of women can be very attractive. Thus while I understand what your trying to say, I personally just don't feel it so it's hard to empathize.

I'd guess you either haven't met the right ones, or maybe you were raised that way without realizing it.

To put things into perspective my Grandparents are pretty racist, but that's how they were brought up. Before he died when my grandfather was suffering from Dementia he was quite... enthusiastic on the subject which was at odds with how he acted before that, though those elements were always present if understated. This might have come through in my parents generation (where only one married outside ethnicity, one of my uncles is of Guamanian ethnicity), but didn't affect me because my father who raised me doesn't really share those sentiments.

Really hard to say, it might be akin to how some people think certain breeds of dog are ugly. I don't "Feel" it, so I can't comment.

 

[child of lileth]

Sexual preference has nothing to do with racism. I'm not attracted to black people, at all. But that has nothing to do with my sexual preference.