The Ultimate Race...

South Africa is liberated. It is a country that is born from the racial injustices of apartheid…a country of truth and reconciliation…a country of freedom.

While studying in this conservative city of Bloemfontein I have come to realize though that some people might never be free or liberated.

They will forever be imprisoned by fear or their closed minded ideas of inequality, subconscious conditioning and ignorance. They will forever hold onto the idea that mere tolerance versus embrace is enough. They will forever allow race to dictate their choices.

I have wanted to write a post about the racial social struggles that I, as a young black woman (and many alike) have come acquainted to in this city of roses when it comes to dating or social interactions with our white male peers but have feared that I might just step on a few toes of offend a few people but sometimes, staying true to one’s own self is worth more than that.

Moving from a city where many of my friends were from different races and many dated inter-racially, Bloemfontein seems to be rather backwards in this regard.

Many parents and my peers do not believe in the idea of interracial relationships. They believe that interracial relationships are wrong because we are too “different” and racially incompatible to conclude in successful long term relationships...

This results in young white males or females who are interested, or are attracted to young black, coloured, Asian women or men-deprive themselves from great opportunities to meet beautiful souls and even worse: date in the interracial closet.

Others, on the other hand, said that their lack of interest in dating inter-racially is merely because of choice and preference and has nothing to do with fear or pressure from friends and family. I think, that is the easy answer, if we honestly reflect we will find that every decision that we make in life is subconsciously conditioned and influenced. We are not truly making decisions on our own…the ideas that have been uttered to us from birth stay with us long after we outgrow our nappies. The images that we associate with the idea of love stay engraved in our minds. It is rather disheartening to see that some people choose to remain in a box marked comfort. We choose to stick to one route when there are many breath-taking roads not traveled.

Inter-racial hook-ups have become the biggest kept secrets among the youth of Bloemfontein. Many will dip in the pool of interracial love but too few will do it proudly in the company of their friends and family or with the absence of liquid courage.

It saddens me to see young men and women allow the outdated ideas of their friends and families to dictate how they live they’re lives. I believe that we will never be free until the day that interracial couples can walk freely on campus or in the malls without stares or racial slurs thrown at them.

Just as Martin Luther King Jr. did, “I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls”. I have a dream that people will be brave enough to stand up for what and who they love. I have a dream that people will be freed from the chains of judgement.

I hope that people will come to realize that there is only one ultimate race and that is the human race...

Until people accept that, they will continue find themselves settling with an unhappy content and depriving themselves of true happiness.