I must say that I think it is extremely arrogant for anyone to claim that someone else’s relationship isn’t a ‘real’ relationship. What does a ‘real’ relationship look like exactly? Besides, what gives someone the right to question the validity of someone else’s relationship?

The subject of online relationships is an important one to me; my significant other and I first met on a social networking site. We first connected through a shared interest in current events. She has a Master’s Degree in history and I am writing a book on post-Cold War conflicts and have written dozens of articles for publications and non-profits in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Africa.

It was almost a full year before I was able to board a plane to travel a distance the size of western Europe and then take an 8 hour bus ride to see her. Our visit was short because I had to attend a conference at a university for three days in another city, but what time we did have together I can only describe as beautiful. We connect on such a meaningful level, a level that I have never felt with anyone before, that it felt like we had known each other all our lives

In the summer she will be making a trip out to see me (or at least that is the plan) if we can afford it. Until then we Skype as much as we can and I keep a framed photo of us on my desk in my home office

How dare someone judge our relationship as not ‘real’? Or was it 'imaginary' before we met in person and suddenly became 'real' once we held hands, kissed, and interacted in person?

An example I would like to use is my relationship vs. my sister’s relationships. (She doesn’t consider my relationship to be a ‘real’ relationship herself.)

My sister doesn’t meet or communicate with others online; she finds all her boyfriends (plural) in bars mostly or they are her co-workers. She has had so many BFs, so many one-night stands (even multiple one-night stands in one night!), that my mom and I use numbers to differentiate between all her partners (ex. John 1, John 2, John 3). My mom has said that my sister behaves “like a dog in heat”, having cheated on her fiancé, slept with our cousin’s friend on their wedding day, and even had to find new employment after having slept with most of her male (and probably some female) co-workers. She is the female equivalent of Charlie Sheen – she has money, looks, and is kind of a narcissist.

But because her relationships are all offline and physical they must be ‘real’ relationships, right? Not my relationship built on shared values, interests, and love for each other.