Our greatest strength as a human race is our ability to acknowledge our differences, our greatest weakness is our failure to embrace them.” -Judith Henderson

So, yesterday I specifically told Boyfriend that I wasn't going to blog about him. Today, I changed my mind. No, I'm not going to blog about the corny romance stuff, cause...well, no one cares.

Being in an "interracial relationship" has taught me a lot... not only things about Boyfriend, but about different cultures and lifestyles. I notice things that he doesn't based on the fact that I was brought up in a different environment.

Let me explain...

Today we rented Chris Rock's new documentary, Good Hair, about the black hair industry. It is amazing the things I didn't know about what black women have to do to their hair to look "beautiful." Chemical relaxers, weaves made from hair cut from the heads of Indian women while they sleep... All to have "good hair." These women pay literally thousands of dollars to manage their hair, beginning from the age of three or four, and when they get older and their weaves cost upwards of a grand each time they get it, their boyfriends or husbands are expected to pay for their "hair management."

Not only does this open up issues about the pressure on women in general to make their bodies look a certain way- breast implants, makeup, high heels, hair color, liposuction, etc. (a subject for a future blog, perhaps)- but also about the relationships between men and women based on what race they are.

I love dating someone who is so different from me... mainly because it's made me realize that no matter how many differences, there is still so much that remains the same. When we first started dating I was very conscious of the fact that I am white and he is black. When we held hands I would look down and be completely mesmerized by the differences in our skin color. Now I hardly notice it. There are times, though, like when I'm sitting in the car in Newark waiting for him to come out of a store and people stare at me because I'm the little blonde girl listening to hip-hop, when I realize just how different we are. And you know what?

I love it.

I love that he can teach me things about things I don't know. I love that he can teach me things about myself that I never even noticed. I love that no matter how different people are, there are universal similarities.

If everyone was in an interracial relationship, there would be no racism.