Support groups for interracial marriage

[Booklover17]

Hello,

Does anyone know of any support groups for interracial marriage/ relationships? Tried googling but no luck 🙁

[Doolhof]

Hi Booklover,

I don't know of any, I would like to suggest you call Relationships Australia, they may be able to make some suggestions for you.

The people at the Beyond Blue help line may have some suggestions as well on 1300 22 4636.

Maybe there are some multicultural support groups in your area.

Hope you find some help!

Regards from Dools

[Booklover17]

Hi Dools,

I will try those, thank you for your help 🙂

[Doolhof]

Hi Booklover,

Hope you have some success with these.

Please know that if you want to share here you are more than welcome to do so. We are not professionals, just a group of people who care for each other and who might be able to offer some suggestions for you to consider.

Cheers again from Dools

[Booklover17]

Hi Dools,

Thank you that means a lot 🙂 If anyone on here has been in a long term relationship/ marriage with someone from a different background I would love to hear from them on here. I would love someone to chat to.

Thank you 🙂

[Doolhof]

Hi Booklover,

Hopefully other people will see this thread of yours and respond.

Any differences between people can sometimes be hard to understand and accept. I have Christian beliefs and my husband does not. In the past this has caused misunderstanding, regrets, confusion and vast differences in opinions.

He has strong views on the roles of women in the home and in society that I believe are very out dated these days.

He does not have a need to spend time with his family where I believe that families are important.

Are there particular aspects of your relationship that you are finding difficult?
Are you finding it confusing, hard or unrealistic maybe to accept some of the beliefs, values, customs and learned cultural expectations of your partner and possibly their family?

You don't have to answer here if you don't want to, you might like to consider what it is that you are finding difficult.

Then again, maybe if you do share more here, other people might join in the conversation. As this is a totally anonymous site, people will not know who you are.

I find it helps to write things down, seems to make it clearer in my mind.

It is up to you what you feel comfortable sharing or expressing here.

Cheers for now from Dools

[Booklover17]

Hi Dools,

Thank you for your reply. I was baptised catholic but did not really have a religious upbringing apart from the normal holidays. I am not religious myself and neither is my husband but his family is muslim which created so many problems before we were married and still does in my mind. I continue to struggle with it. I am still upset and confused and trying to deal with it.

[Doolhof]

Hi Booklover,

I have a friend who is Muslim, but she doesn't share a great deal about her faith, belief and customs, even though I do ask sometimes.

In the region where I live, in a rural setting, people are of a Christian faith or no faith at all. We don't have any shrines, temples or places of worship for different faiths.

I can imagine there are a lot of differences between your own beliefs and ideals and those of your husband and his family.

Have you considered calling Relationships Australia? I don't recall if I mentioned them earlier, they may have some ideas and suggestions for you.

Can you speak openly with your husband about how you are feeling?

My husband seems happy enough for me to practice my faith as long as I don't hassle him about his own beliefs and values, which I try not to do.

Do you find it difficult accepting some of your husband's ways? It doesn't even have to relate to his faith. Relationships are not always easy to deal with. Hopefully you can find common ground and grow on that!

Thanks for sharing more. I hope it helps you in some way!

Cheers from Dools

[Booklover17]

Hi Dools,

Thank you for your reply. There are so many differences and it’s so difficult. We speak about it sometimes in terms of what happened in the past but not how I am feeling right now. I am still trying to make sense of it myself and I also don’t want to hurt him - I don’t want it to seem like I am insulting his family. Family is very important to muslims.

I appreciate your messages. I am just struggling so much. I need to find someone who has been in the same situation with the same religion. I feel so alone. Your replies are really helpful too, thank you.