One closely related word, xenophobia.
Fear of strangers. Fear of outsiders. Fear of difference. The opposite of open.
I grew up in The Bubble. Suburban life. Three siblings. Mom. Dad. 3.8 GPA. 28 ACT.
I dated a non-Mormon at 16 after my Mormon boyfriend broke up with me over MSN. I cried a few tears and asked the dark-haired, brown-eyed Persian boy (exotic for Utah!) I liked since sixth grade to the Christmas Dance. He said yes and came with me and all of my friends. My friends had been championing us to date since we were 12. I was pretty excited.
The two of us were awkward, as all 16 year old are. We spent many hours "hanging out" at the local grocery store with out two groups of friends. These two groups mostly glared at each other. "Seriously, why are we heeeeeeeere?" my friends whined the way only 16 year old females can. Why did I always have to date the boys with weird friends? Apparently our couple-dom was cute only in theory.
My friends weren't the only ones a little chagrined at the developing relationship. I snuggled up to my brown-eyed boy one winter evening to discuss The S-E-X.
