Re-posting because my initial post was removed for some reason. I (26f) have been in a relationship with my partner (30m) for 1.5years. We met in summer 2019 and have lived together all through quarantine. We have a great relationship. We are best friends and just being around him makes me feel safe and happy. We are super compatible living together and we are very compatible sexually. In the past 3 months we have started discussing getting engaged at the begging of next year. It’s far off but we are both long term planners and want to wait until I finish grad school.

My only issue with my otherwise blissful relationship is that my boyfriend is shorter than me. I am 5’9” and he is about 5’7”. Growing up, being taller than me was literally the only physical requirement I had for a partner. I never thought I would feel so much chemistry with someone shorter but it happened. However, sometimes I feel really self conscious when we are out in public. I feel like people might think I am less of a woman because I couldn’t attract a man taller than me. One time we were at a gay bar and I thought do people in here think I’m a transgender woman because I’m taller (we were wearing masks). We are also an interracial couple so I feel like people already notice us more in general and having this height difference is another thing for people to think about. I don’t know why but I want to be in a “cute” couple and sometimes I worry we look ugly / unconventional together. I don’t know if it’s something I want to be thinking about for the rest of my life and my boyfriend is such a great person that he deserves someone who doesn’t feel uncomfortable with him in public sometimes. Should I go ahead and break up with him to save us both pain in the future? It feels crazy to throw away such a special bond but if I never get other these thoughts maybe that’s the right choice. I have brought up that I think about the height difference sometimes but I don’t think he knows how much it bothers me. He’s offered to wear lifting shoes but I don’t think that’s fair. He deserves to be with someone who thinks he’s perfect as is. Help!

No one has ever said anything to us when we are out and I don’t necessarily notice people staring but there is this internal dialogue I can’t shake that just makes me super uncomfortable sometimes when we’re out to the point where I don’t want to hold hands