When my fiance and I started officially dating, his friends went into an uproar about it. Some refused to talk to him. Some spoke nothing but mocking insults. Why?

There are two main reasons: I had a laughingstock reputation as a teenager, which some still hold onto, and my race, which is probably the bigger reason. I can't really do anything to change either of these.

He took it well at the time and basically decided that if they weren't going to talk to him, then that's just more time to spend with me. If they mocked him he'd turn the joke back on them but never let it get to him. If they badgered him to break up with me he'd smile and say that he doesn't think he will. In retrospect, it's really admirable how much he stood against the pressure.

It's been years and while people have warmed up to me (I can have conversations with them), you can still tell that they don't respect me. Insults are still common towards both of us.

It's dejecting to be treated like that but I also feel guilty about how it is from his perspective: people aren't going to respect his wife, they tell him not to have children, they laugh at him for choosing me. And I don't know if it's accurate to say that it's my fault, but it is because of me.

And many of these aren't people he can easily just cut out of his life. They're long-time friends, family, people he works with... I mean, to decide to simply ditch anyone who doesn't respect me is to throw out the whole life and start over, which isn't financially feasible even putting aside that these are people that he likes who like him too... they just don't like me. They get along when I'm not around.

We're a pretty committed and strong couple, so even as it's been made clear that others don't approve, we don't see that as a reason to break up. Still... it gets me down.

Any advice?