Hi all.

So I got into a relationship recently, about 3 months ago and the person I’m with is absolutely amazing. We have fun, and we both really really like each other, so I thought it’d be perfect to tell our parents.

Skip forward to now, I went on a cruise with my parents, and I got a gift for her, unbeknownst to them. They then find out about the gift, and I had to tell them about her on the cruise. I didn’t want to tell them before or during the cruise as that might’ve caused problems, but they now knew.

To add some context, I’m 21 and in my final semester of university and my parents are traditionally Indian and hold strong views on culture and beliefs (not religious), and they are against dating, as they think it reflects badly on a person’s character. They think that I need to have finished my education, have a job and be financially stable before even thinking about this.

I had told my friends that I had a girlfriend, which someone might’ve told their parents, causing alleged gossiping to start (I was told this by my mother).

So all in all, my parents are strongly against this, and they believe that the Indian community we are part off makes fun of us behind our backs and that according to their beliefs it is not an appropriate time to date. They have told me that if I want to continue dating that is ok, but that I would have to leave the house and live by myself, or else live in the house but have no contact with her. Neither of my parents are happy about this.

I think if I leave the house, even after things settle, my parents may not accept me or her, but I really like her. I love my family just as much, but I think they are wrong.

Can someone please give me some advice on what to do, or how to explain this concept of dating without offending my parents?

Thank you