BUG: Fix assert_equal when check_exact=True for non-numeric dtypes pandas-dev#35446

Author: ivirshup

pandas/_testing.py

@@ -1339,10 +1339,8 @@ def assert_series_equal(
         else:
             assert_attr_equal("dtype", left, right, obj=f"Attributes of {obj}")
 
-    if check_exact:
-        if not is_numeric_dtype(left.dtype):
-            raise AssertionError("check_exact may only be used with numeric Series")
-
+    if check_exact and is_numeric_dtype(left.dtype) and is_numeric_dtype(right.dtype):
+        # Only check exact if dtype is numeric
         assert_numpy_array_equal(
             left._values,
             right._values,

pandas/tests/util/test_assert_series_equal.py

@@ -281,3 +281,13 @@ class MySeries(Series):
 
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError, match="Series classes are different"):
         tm.assert_series_equal(s3, s1, check_series_type=True)
+
+
+def test_series_equal_exact_for_nonnumeric():
+    # https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/issues/35446
+    s1 = Series(["a", "b"])
+    s2 = Series(["a", "b"])
+    s3 = Series(["b", "a"])
+
+    _assert_series_equal_both(s1, s2, check_exact=True)
+    _assert_not_series_equal_both(s1, s3, check_exact=True)