Growing up in a predominantly white area, my options were limited. As I was navigating my teens, love was shoved down my throat on TV; I watched my friends pair off at house parties, and I started to become even more aware of the need to find my perfect match. I carefully curated him in my mind. He was tall, authoritative, kind, and loving, but I never thought about what colour he would be. Aged 16, I entered my first interracial relationship. The topic of race never came up. I was number two, possibly even three, but definitely a secret. It became glaringly obvious that there might be a reason he had the picture-perfect blonde girl on the outside, and me tucked away behind the scenes. I know now that if someone loves you they are proud of you, and I deserve to be loved loudly. But I went into my 20s without many Black friends and more interracial relationships followed.
more “Racism and online dating: my experience”