Is It Racist to Have A ‘Type’?

As a twenty something we often market ourselves the ‘millennials’ as a new generation who is more inclusive and open minded towards diversity than our parent’s. But are we really as open minded as we believe ourselves to be, are our list of sexual partners really representative of our attitude towards intrinsic prejudice?

If you believe yourself to be an open minded and inclusive individual but your dating pool has been justifiably limited for other reasons, do we still feel a lingering sense of guilt over our sexual preferences which don’t always include a diverse group of past sexual conquests or partners?

Stating a preference automatically includes the rejection of the ‘unchosen’ person and ultimately having a ‘type’ is intrinsically prejudice, but perhaps not in a way that impacts us negatively at all. Choosing a partner is often considered an unconscious decision, no-one can really question what makes us fall in love, perhaps our social background and even our genetics influence who we like and consciously rejecting your ‘type’ be it based on skin colour, accent, hair colour or size can broaden your mind in ways that you never anticipated.

The idea of sticking with a type both physically and personally is commonly referenced in modern culture; girls like a tall man, men like a woman with big boobs. But more complex than that, culture often plays a part in our choice and inevitably this is intertwined with race and consequently your physical appearance. Different cultures have different value systems and religions, and relationships are often built upon shared values. Maybe we don’t need to apologise for choosing the familiar.

We date inside our type and often they are the most fulfilling relationships of all, we should never feel bad or apologise for who we are attracted to. And differences between race and culture that have in the past prevented people from coming together are not always a defining factor in modern relationships in the UK.

So when you next try jumping into the dating pool maybe we should consider the brunette over the blonde or the short over the tall, it might lead to things you never expected.