ImFreedom - PART2
Advertorial: Esprit
A few posts ago I introduced to you the #ImPerfect campaign by esprit.
In combination with a little photo shoot featuring their latest campaign and some of my favourite outfits. I also explained a little what freedom means to me focusing on one of the campaign hashtag #ImFreedom. The others being for example #ImLove #ImCourage #ImPassion #ImFuture #ImChange. For me personally though, freedom is the most important one as it dictates so much of my life. The last post also focused a lot on my work and the freedom that is needed to do the job I do. This post explores the freedom in a more personal way. I usually don't discuss very personal things on the blog, simply because I'm not that much of a writer and rather a visual person, but this topic is very important to me, so I'll make an exception.
As you can probably tell the photos in this post don't only show me, but also my boyfriend, David. When I asked him if he would be ok to appear in this post, he wasn't too enthusiastic about the idea. Other than me, he works in a completely different field, that has absolutely nothing to do with fashion. Being photographed is something he likes to rather avoid. So it means a lot to me that he was willing to make an exception also!
April 20, 2017
Labels: On track, Closet
We met about two years ago in Berlin, which happened to be a huge coincidence considering he is actually from the Netherlands and was only in town for a client. I at that time was hardly ever in Berlin and usually travelling around. Up until then I never had a relationship and never really pictured a boyfriend either. I also didn't really have a specific type, I just liked anything unusual or interesting. I didn't ever consider the issues that would come with an interracial relationship (actually I didn't even know there was a name for it). Simply because growing up in a small town, I've never met anyone in a similar situation and am obviously also in a very lucky position to have never experienced anything that would make me overthink such a relationship.
Ever since, I learned more and more about this apparently very touchy topic. Getting comments on social media about "why my boyfriend would go for someone like me" why he couldn't "stick to his own people" but also the other way around. People seemed to either be curious or offended. Knowing now that interracial relationships (especially in the US) used to be forbidden by law, that marriage wasn't possible and that it was considered wrong by a (sorry for that but) fucked up society, triggered me to read and watch as many articles and videos I could on this topic, in an effort to learn more about the intricacies of my new reality.
Again living in Berlin, this is hardly an issue, but being in a different country and especially being in the US it feels like you have to justify who and why you love to people you don't even know! My boyfriend seems to be a lot more chill about things like that, and I admire him for this. As it is a very touchy and especially emotional subject, and definitely one I can't completely understand, simply because of the privileges I enjoy, I will end it here.
Just one last thing: I feel extremely lucky that I happen to live in a time and country where I have the freedom to choose who I want to be with nno matter their ethnic background, their gender, status, education, religion or any other distinguishing factor. I also hope that due to migration and everyone being a mix of so many different cultures, interracial relations ships will rather be the norm, than something to raise your eyebrows about. It might then hopefully also eliminate the "you two are gonna have such beautiful babies" reaction that seems to be the first thing people come up with. Against a lot of pre assumptions, I have not chosen my boyfriend for the possibility of future "mixed" babies, but because I love him!
