Question to MENA users: how would your family feel about you dating/marrying Westerners?

[Östsvensk]

Has it become worse recently? I honestly did not realize there was an issue with this when I was in France, granted I did not advertise I was Syrian but still. I also visited Sweden regularly enough— I was in a relationship and his parents lived a bit north there— and I did not feel as if I was treated any differently.

It's gotten worse with the shootings and bombings that Tooting Carmen mentioned. Which are done by people of Middle Eastern descent. Unfortunately, the law-abiding will most likely take damage in their reputation from it too.

[Incal]

Which is ironic, because MENAs in countries like France, Germany and Sweden (rightly or wrongly) usually have a reputation for being quite uneducated and ghetto-like.

All the MENAs in Europe are "refugees" aka muslim peasants.

[StonyArabia]

It depends on many factors. One political factors as you know there is no love lost between Westerners and MENA. Many MENA bash Westerners behind their back, the insults vary from mild to severe. Although if it’s Western female she is tolerated but as she assimilate to full MENA in this case here Arabian/Bedouin culture it might be ok, if not she will have uneasy life and divorce will be the outcome. As for a Western male it’s highly unlikely and no one especially Arabian/Bedouin will open their arms to wed their daughters. Let’s just say the Iraq war had really put a bad taste in many MENA’s mouth, and this is also true of the recent Gaza war. Sunni Muslim Arabian/Bedouin MENA prefer their own, some other MENA might be more open minded depending on religious and ethnic affiliation as well cultural differences. However if there Sunni Muslim it might be ok like let’s say a Tatar woman, Bosniak, although it’s not encouraged either. Shia Arabs and Sunni Arabs used to intermix but this not common anymore but this has to due with sectarian affiliation than ethnicity. Most MENA especially Arabian/Bedouin prefer their own. So myriad factors on the situation some will accept it, others won’t. Personally I prefer my MENA

[Petalpusher]

Has it become worse recently? I honestly did not realize there was an issue with this when I was in France, granted I did not advertise I was Syrian but still. I also visited Sweden regularly enough— I was in a relationship and his parents lived a bit north there— and I did not feel as if I was treated any differently.

There is a significant difference in perception between ME and NA in France, the whole monolithic "MENA" doesn't apply here. Most people have a problem with North Africans, mainly Algerians because of their behaviours, the whole banlieue sub culture, and of course history. I would even go as far as saying Lebaneses and Jordanians are often imagined as middle/upper class. Syrians or Lybians are seen as the wheat from the chaff, in comparison to North Africans.

[Mejgusu]

Happy, should they feel bad because I have a relationship?