Any ladies have advice for starting conversation? and over coming shyness? My boyfriend of 5 years is upset because I don't mingle with his family as often. Now, I do deal with really bad social anxiety( I was bullied throughout middle school and highschool by the same people which triggered bad anxiety after years of it. Also I grew up in an very unstable home..) Anyway I'm trying my best to work at it, but he says it's not enough... we fight about it a lot and it hurts. I told him, it's hard to talk to them when they mostly talk about family matters and work, that it would be awkward for me to butt in. He got pissed and said "First of all don't come at my family like that." It hurt me that he thought i was trying to bash them.. Occasionally when there are parties, I go.. and I say hello and ask everyone how they're doing.. but for some reason, they just don't engage with me. Sometimes they ignore me like I didn't say a word. Today I tried to say hello to an aunt I never met till today, I was planning to get out of my comfort zone more and ask how she was doing and that it was nice to meet her ,but she ignored me ,walking straight passed me to say hello to my bf. I guess because I come off timid when speaking? Idk.. I noticed his cousins GF was able to flat out fit in after a year with being introduced, but she sees his family a lot more because they lived a lot closer. She also babysits. Sometimes when I'm around his family will say "Now that's a woman!" when she is there doing something for them.. Shes a very in charge person and she's a lot more out there . It makes me feel bad.. I want to be able to open up more, but how can i when they don't even try with me.. Also, I am in an IR relationship. I'm black and he is mexican.