When I was in middle school, I remember thinking about the kind of guy I would fall for. I always pictured that he would be smart, athletic, and a good conversationalist. So when the guy I did fall for in high school was a proud conservative, I was a little surprised. But dating a conservative has taught me a lot of lessons — first and foremost that my assumption was wrong: no one way of thinking has all the answers for every issue. And more than that, most of the differences between political views on the left and right dating opposing views on solutions, not problems.

Take homelessness or education as examples. You do not have to be a declared liberal or conservative to recognize that those are important issues. My boyfriend and I started to have much more productive and enjoyable conversations about these societal dilemmas once we realized this.

Dating a conservative changed the way I engage in discussions

Another thing I have come to realize is the importance of open and understanding debate across the political spectrum. I recently heard a vlogger I enjoy say that she would never date a man. I was taken aback.

To be fair, dating someone who does not share your political views is tough. But it also makes you both grow and keeps life a lot more educational and interesting.

Try listening first and then questioning after. Question what you hear but also question yourself continue reading your own beliefs. Open up the dialogue and be okay with sometimes agreeing to disagree. Dating a conservative conservative made me realize that I too hold a lot of conservative beliefs. But that I am fully right or left on every single issue is false. I would much rather evaluate my conservative on each issue as it comes as opposed to assuming I agree with man idea of one side or the other.

The important thing to have dating landing page thanks is that we are all human. We all value humanity and we all want humanity to prosper. The way we get there is the part we can disagree on. Instead, try listening first and then questioning after. The boy I fell for, and still fall for every day, is a hockey player, a superb listener, crazy smart annoyingly so at timesand my very best friend.

And we are both more patient, educated, and understanding people because of it. V8W 5C2. Op-eds Opinions. Subscribe to Newsletter.

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