Focus: Racially mixed couples

We do say that the world is getting smaller by the day. But is it? This week we asked people their thoughts on racially mixed couples and while most do think that of late, inter-racial marriages are on the rise, discrimination on the basis of one's ethnicity still exists.

At the same time, it is also believed that soon the time will come when we shall all be citizens of the world and not be recognised by the country of our origin. Share your thoughts with us on the same at readers@gulfnews.com

It is tough for couples from different races to have a successful relationship.

I think it is tough. But I don't think it would be as difficult for the grown-ups as much as for children of such couples. I know an African-British couple; their child gets picked on by other children. But I think it gets difficult because of the difference in religions, which could be an issue. But the love for each other would make relationships work.
- M. McDonald
Dubai

It depends on the personality. Sometimes it can be, sometimes not. For example, a friend of mine, an Iraqi, married someone who is Iraqi just by name. He's not like her at all, but still they managed beautifully. For the children, I think it depends on how the mother raises them. Sometimes the parents disagree on how they want to raise their children in terms of culture or religion.
- Maha Saleh
Iraq

It depends on the character of the person. My mother is Italian and my father is Iranian. Their relationship works. I think it works because people now are more educated and understand each other more. I think before starting any relationship, each person should ask him or herself if they can understand and accept the other person's background, traditions and culture before they get into anything.
- Daniel Ghorbami
Dubai

That's a hard question to answer. I am British and married to a Lebanese but I never found any difficulty adapting to the culture. Maybe because I have been living in the Middle East for 11 years now, I understand Arab society. I think it's good for children to have parents from different cultures. But again, no it's not hard to make such relationships work.
- Veronica Kelly
UK

Social discrimination is higher when one of the pair is of Asian descent.

I think all people think this way. People have different perceptions of different cultures; if someone is from Egypt or India or Pakistan, people have pre-conceived ideas. I think we inherit such notions. I don't think such ideas can be changed easily. Even with education, I still think people will have certain perceptions about those who belong to different nationalities.
- Mariam Malek
Egypt

It does exist and it happens everywhere. I think Asians and Indians in particular face discrimination because most of them belong to the working class, which is looked down upon. It is also for this reason that you hardly see any Arab with an Asian.
- Siham Abidi
Dubai

Yes there is. I think it has got to do with the fixed notions that people have and nobody can change that. It may also be because most Asians, especially Indians are hesitant and too bound to their culture. Maybe as time passes by, this will change.
- Nishant Raisinghani
Dubai

Yes and I think it has got to do with the Asian habit of being a little stingy when it comes to spending money, at least when compared to Europeans. Also because there is this notion that people have, that no matter how educated an Asian might be, or how successful they might be, they can never be very good. But I guess the media can help bring about a change in this attitude.
- Sheetal Shah
Dubai

The UAE is seeing a higher number of racially mixed couples.

Actually, yes, there is a truth in that. If you go to a mall you see a lot of couples from different nationalities. I think globalisation is the main reason for this. It is a major factor and people now are getting more exposure and experiences with different cultures. It also depends on the couple if they want the relationship to work out.
- Mohit Chauhan
Abu Dhabi

I think there are quite a few. I think it is on the rise. Maybe because people here have more opportunities to interact with each other. They are not restricted by societal rules. They are free and more accepting.
- Rajendra V.
Abu Dhabi

Yes, it depends on the immigrants who come here and how they mix. I think in the UAE there is a lot of choice, which is why you find that there are many racially mixed couples. People get to interact with each other. I think people just have to be tolerant here because of the mixed society. I think it can be hard for a racially mixed couple to make a relationship work, but if they have feelings for each other, they will learn to adapt.
- Lawrence Ziller
Dubai

I think there are so many people who come to the country and Dubai is a fluid city. It provides people our age a chance to meet and interact with each other. But I do not think people are tolerant of each other; it's all on the surface.
- Naeem Mirza
Sharjah

Mixing of races will eventually create global citizens.

Well my sister is Lebanese and she married an Indian. At the beginning everybody was shocked, but now they are happy and have a beautiful child. I think to some extent religion matters more than the cultural background of the person. I think eventually mixing of races will create global citizens because in the end there won't be a Lebanese, American, Arab … it's just going to be a mixture.
- Zahiya Hassan
Dubai

I basically feel that you don't need to have mixed racial marriages to create global citizens. I think that people now have more exposure to different cultures and get to interact with various people. I think we've become more tolerant of each other. Being a global citizen must come from within you, it's a matter of respecting others.
- Amrith Varghese
Sharjah

In this era of globalisation, it would be near impossible for friendships not to develop into something deeper. And while "old schools" of thought, parentage and religion try to keep the tide of love at bay, the new generation views a partner based on a mutual growth of respect, regardless of colour, belief or race. While many believe in "pure bloodlines", there remain many millions more who will eventually create an accepted global citizen without borders.
- B. Cummings
Dubai,
Gulf News Reader's Club member

No. Instead, it might create global expatriates who will suffer from identity crisis. Until our society is ready to forget racial discrimination and embrace all cultures and faiths from the bottom of the heart, and also if no common legislature is in place, global citizenship will remain elusive.
- Subhasis Mukherjee
Dubai
Gulf News Reader's Club member