A disturbed bridesmaid caused an uproar online after posting that Asian brides should reveal their tattoos. In a post on Reddit’s Bridezilla community, the user wrote about pressuring her friend to wear a revealing dress despite her conservative family.
This incidence also highlights the problems many foreigners face when looking to date Asian women. The recent trends in dating apps, however, offers a solution for those who face difficulty in approaching potential partners.
Hiding Tattoos with a Wedding Dress
The bridesmaid in question, who is anonymous, explained that her 28-year-old friend, Hadley, was getting married in Asia. Notably, South East Asian countries are very conservative, with traditional family values dictating ceremonies like weddings and even dating.
Within this culture, tattoos are seen as ‘uncouth’ and low-class. Asian women, as a result, should be completely ‘pure’ during this special day. Despite this, the bridesmaid wrote that she herself has several tattoos and takes a more liberal stance on this topic.
“I have full sleeves, while Hadley has a few small ones in her inner arm & ribs, which are easily hidden,” the post reads.
However, Hadley has never told her family about the tattoos, which angers the bridesmaid. She states that by looking down on tattoos, the Asian brides family is essentially restricting her choices by forcing her to conform to their ideology.
“She vocally disagrees with her parents when they make a rude remark about people with tattoos, but keeps up the facade that she has no tattoos, which honestly makes her look like a hypocrite,” the post continues.
Showing Some Ink
On one occasion, the bridesmaid writes, the two went out to shop for wedding dresses with Hadley’s stepmother. She quickly noticed that the future bride only picked out those dresses which covered up the areas with tattoos, specifically the inner arms and ribs.
She offered a selection of dresses that were more revealing and meant to show off the ink designs on her skin, but she was met with rejection. Hadley stated that she did not feel confident enough to wear these types of dresses that show off her arms. The unbending bridesmaid didn’t understand, stating that any tattoo artist would love their art to be seen and would feel disrespected if they were covered up.
“And what’s the point of getting tattoos if you don’t show them off?” she asked the community. “She paid a lot of money to get them done & they look absolutely beautiful.”
This situation outlines how different viewpoints can interfere in relationships across cultures. Understanding where the other person comes from is an important yet often overlooked part of dating. In this case, getting to know a potential partner before meeting can be very helpful.
Asian Dating Sites Help Foreigners Find Partners
For many foreigners who visit South East Asia, dating can be much more rewarding than in western countries. For this both men and women are turning to apps which pair users with others who are also interested in them.
Modern women are even using more forward a hook-up aka free sex app to find men who fit their momentary needs. In Western world, it’s very common that these types of digital apps are also used for monetary needs.
One study suggests that these types of apps are most popular with expats who seek longer term relationships. Sun Yang who is the public relations director for dating app Momo said these apps serve as a good introduction to get acquainted with the nuances of a different culture.
“It gives people the opportunity to talk and communicate to see if they have the same interests, and if their general viewpoints click before they meet in person to see if they are right for each other.”
Asian dating sites can help those who are looking for love overseas, but meeting a future partner takes more work. Understanding cultural contexts is also important to avoid misunderstandings such as between Hadley and her insistent bridesmaid.
