Making Boyfriend /Girlfriend Relationships Work 69
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My boyfriend doesn’t know
that I’m part black
Hey Terra,
My dad is black, and my mom is white. I’m pretty light skinned and, at first, people who
don’t know me think I’m from another country. My parents love each other a lot, and they’ve
always taught me and my sister that race doesn’t matter as much as the kind of person you
are. We recently moved, and my new school has very few black students. My new boyfriend
is white, and he thinks I’m Iranian because that’s what I told him. He’ll probably never meet
my parents, so there’s no harm in that, is there?
Just Checking
Dear Just Checking,
I understand that you lied because you were afraid of rejection. Maybe you’re thinking that
your boyfriend wouldn’t feel the same way about you if he found out you’re biracial. But a
romantic relationship (or any relationship for that matter) needs honesty. Tell your boyfriend
the truth.
Your parents are right: a person’s character is more important than skin color. Anyone
worth calling a “friend” or “boyfriend/girlfriend” will accept you for you.If your race is hard
for your boyfriend to accept, he’s not the right guy for you.
Be proud of your parents and the fact that you’re a part of each of them. Take care.
In friendship,
Terra
Cheating (dishonesty)
The most extreme form of dishonesty in a romantic relationship is cheating
on each other. What you and your bf/gf consider cheating depends on the
agreements you’ve made together. For example, if you’ve agreed not to date any-
one else and one of you does, that’s cheating. If you’ve agreed not to flirt with