Arab American Dating Can At Times Be Complicated

By Peter Ellis


It is so exciting to start a new relationship, but there are a few cultures out there who don't allow it. A few communities and cultures don't want their children in relationships. Arab American Dating isn't very popular in their communities as traditions and culture don't allow for it.

In America taking someone out on a date seems like the normal teenage or grown up thing to do. The culture here in America sees this as a crucial part of life. However, in the Arab culture taking someone on a date is frowned upon as it brings shame against their family. The image that Hollywood has made is one of the main reasons for this. They always show single people making their main objective for their date to "get in the sack" with that person. If they don't by the end of the night, it was classed as a "bad date".

In their culture boys have more freedom than girls do. Girls are not treated the same and can't do the same things as boys are allowed to do. Many people regard this behavior as being sexist against woman. Many families feel that they are not being sexist but just protecting their daughters and their reputations.

Hollywood has depicted that single people who start dating only want premarital sex and nothing long term. A relationship with these values don't last and prove that these partners are not fully invested to sticking to one person. In most cases these types of people don't stay long in a relationship.

Arab families want to protect their daughters from falling pregnant and disgracing their family. Some families have no problem when their son wants to go have sex and you will find that their parents will supply the condoms. However, when a daughter wants to have sex the parents will forbid them even from going out.

In their culture they are a lot stricter on their daughters than on their sons. If a son approaches his parents to ask if he could attend a party they wouldn't have a problem with it. When their daughter approaches them to ask if she could go to the same party, they would interrogate her first. They would ask loads of questions like "who are you going with?", "who will all be attending?" The daughter will be informed that she is not to drink anything and be home early.

Dating in a community like this isn't a possibility at all. There are many families who want their children to rather concentrate on completing their degrees then after that they can get married. Starting a relationship while you are attending an university can be very distracting. In their community they send family counselors to come educate families why education is more important than dating.

It is traditions and culture to have arranged marriages. You bring shame and disgrace on your family if you engage in a relationship that has not been approved by the family. The younger generations of youth don't have the same views as the older generation. This sort of dating is starting has started increasing and slowing getting accepted than what it was in the past.




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