Racial Prefrence. Racist or Not?

My question for those who do see things this way is, what features does a certain race have that another race wouldn't?

This is a world that is really diverse, it would be nearly impossible to find someone who doesn't have something other than what they appear in their bloodline if you trace back a ways. I've seen white guys who have full lips and thicker hair texture, black guys with green or blue eyes, etc. So what could there possibly be in one race that wouldn't ever be found in another?

 

I don't know? A combination of features, perhaps? Regardless, thinking people of certain races are (on average) more attractive (physically) wouldn't be racist. I really don't have to have a specific answer to that question because it's more hypothetical at best.

---------- Post added 25th Dec 2015 at 12:07 AM ----------

You can't agree with me? So you're saying it's okay to stereotype certain races are dominant or submissive? You may want to reread my paragraph...

 

There's a difference between saying "I find this race more attractive" and "This race is more attractive. Period." The first is more of a grey area, and would need more context for me to say for sure where it falls, and the second would definitely be considered racist (or at the very least, heavily biased).

 

Oops! I meant, I can't agree with you more. xD

 

Ah, that makes more sense.

 

Personally my racial preferences are very inclusive. I have seen some valid arguments both for and against. Personally I don't think it is but it does seem like a shitty reason to not be attracted to someone.

 

Depends. If it's just that you think the average person of "x" race is better looking than "y" race's then it's not.

If you see "race" as anything more than looks, you're racist.

For example I like how Eastern Asians look but I don't like how black people look, however if someone I like happened to be black, I couldn't care less.

 

Not exactly, but I think the reasons for the prejudice are indirectly racist, a symptom of growing up in a racist society.

 

Is it racist? No. But it is completely natural.

I'm just going to say this right now, because I believe alot of people in here are trying to be so liberal that it just is just cringeworthy.

Whites are considered by a vast majority of people, including ethnic minorities, as being the most attractive. There are many reason for this, including better facial structure, better body development, greater genetic variation, greater social standing etc etc.

Dating statistics, scientific studies (into facial attractiveness), real world examples etc do not lie.

Whites ARE considered more attractive and it is not racist to say it.

It is unfair that certain races are generally considered less desirable, but that's life.

Deal with it and move on.

 

Actually, the highest genetic diversity by far exists in populations in subsaharan Africa. White people have pretty shit genetic diversity. The reason white people are considered more attractive has nothing to do with biology, but colonialism and racism. This doesn't make the individual racist, but the society.

 

I think if people are honest, everyone has a preference. No matter how much some of us deny it to appear consistant with modern ideas of social justice and equality, I think sexuality is sheer primal instinct at its core and we have as little say in our preferences as we do in our orientation. While I believe sexuality is mostly hardwired, it stands to reason that our preferences can be heavily influenced by social conditioning, like nearly any other aspect of our personality. While this can include racism at the extreme end it certianly isnt limited to it, and it is rediculous to claim that preference is an inherently racist thing.

 

"The reason white people are considered more attractive has nothing to do with biology, but colonialism and racism."

No, go to Japan ( just one of many examples) where xenophobia and racism against foreigners is rife. (mostly from jealous straight guys)
Yet the girls and guys jump at the opportunity to go with a white guy/girl. Why? Because the whites are just better looking, as I was told many times. The men are more masculine and bigger ( in more ways than one) and the women are more beautiful.
There is a reason why they have no gaijin nights in the clubs.

 

As you can see clearly documented above me the racism is not the preference in itself but rather the careless ignorance with which it's spewed

 

Oh gosh. This topic is just too controversial to end up turning into anything good.

I'm stepping out. Be happy guys!

Have a great holiday.

 

?????????

 

I think it is--although I think it is perhaps more productive to think of it as one of the products of racism.

 

Two points I'll make:

The first: since you claim that white people are perceived better and is "natural," then that means we should be doing everything in our power to support movements such as Black Lives Matter since it's obvious that they are disadvantaged by the police since studies do show people are more likely to assume a black face gives them more "fear" than a white face and more likely to assume they are in danger, even when it may not be the case. As such, you must believe institutional racism is a natural product of this.

Second: Have you seen how many health conditions disproportionately affect white people? I say this as a person who suffers from an autoimmune condition that overwhelmingly targets white people (you know, basically, autoimmune means your own damn body thinks it sucks :roflmao.

 

It's not racist to have a racial preference.

Someone brought up the example of having a preference for blue eyes. That seems like a perfectly innocuous preference. There's no stereotype or hatred involved in the idea that blue eyes are pretty. The same can be said of blond hair. A person can think that blond hair is aesthetically pleasing and more attractive than other hair colors. There's no racism in that idea, correct? Then you say, these types of preferences are fine, but it's not okay to have a racial preference.

Well let's pause for a second, because there's an inconsistency with that line of reasoning. The inconsistency is that the whole concept of race arises from the grouping together of people with similar physical traits. It's impossible to claim that you have a preference for certain genetic physical traits, but have no racial preference whatsoever. Race is physical appearance. You cannot separate the two and treat them as if they are independent attributes. They are correlated. For example, how many Asians do you know that naturally have blue eyes and blond hair? I'm sure I've never met one. Certainly racial preferences in dating can originate from racist beliefs. But, it's not necessarily the case, so don't just assume.

And there's another inconsistency that I'd like to mention. If you are one who calls for people to look inside themselves to examine the origin of their racial preferences, then I would invite you to take the exercise of introspection one step further. When looking into your own preferences, don't just stop at race. Look at all of your preferences. If you have a racial preference are you a racist? If you have a preference for fit physiques, are you fat-phobic? If you have a preference for someone close to you in age, are you age-ist? If you have a preference for someone who can walk or for someone without any mental illness, are you able-ist?

The point is this. We all have preferences when it comes to dating, even if we don't like to admit to them. If you still think you don't have a preference, try this: The next time you see a man or woman who could potentially be your partner, flip a coin or roll a die. Use the result to determine whether or not you should pursue a relationship with that person. That's what it means to have no preference.

Once you admit to the fact that you do actually have preferences, think about how you apply those preferences. Think about how many potential romantic partners you encounter as you go about your day and how you subconsciously filter and reject most of them as love interests. Then think about why you are rejecting them. Is it because of some innate characteristic, such as physical appearance? Is it because of some other immutable quality that they have no control over? And is your judgement fair? After all, how can you adequately judge a person without taking the time to get to know them?

Of course, none of it is fair. You filter many potential partners by simply looking at their appearance, without knowing much about who they are. Everyone does this because they have to. No one has the time to fully investigate every person out there. No matter how open-minded or how socially progressive you think you are, you do it too. And that's okay. It's perfectly understandable. However, when you evaluate someone at first glance; when you get a concept of what a person is about while working off of very little information, what you are actually doing is stereotyping. Just so you know. And it's not necessarily a bad thing, but we all do it.

So, when people forward the accusation of racism against people who have racial preferences, I find the whole thing to be a bit hypocritical and judgmental. My feeling is that people should not shame or judge other people for their dating preferences. Your dating preferences belong to you and you alone. No one is entitled to have sex with you. No one is entitled to have a relationship with you. You always have the right to say no. Now, if someone says something racist to you or harasses or oppresses you in some other way because of your race, then go ahead and talk about racism. But simply getting turned down for a date because of a racial preference is not racism. I feel that people too often take it personally when they get rejected for a date. They retaliate with something like "You're rejecting me? Well, you're just a racist" or "You're rejecting me for my appearance, well you're just shallow and superficial". Guys do it to girls with "friend zone". People do this because it makes them feel better if they can attribute the rejection to a deep character flaw in the person that's rejecting them. But I don't support that kind of behavior. I think it's petty, vindictive, and a form of bullying.

 

I find it tiring to be sanctimonious about whatever people like

 

Lol, I'd say it has more to do with Japan idolizing the West for hundreds of years. White men are thought to have more money, just like black people are thought to be better dancers/athletic/rappers.

Ironically, there are other sites where it's heavily debated that "white men are leaving white women for Asians", apparently borne out of stereotypes of submissiveness and femininity.