my crush’s response is forever lodged in my brain: “But you’re a strong black woman who don’t need no man.” I felt totally othered when I read those words, like he could never like me because I was Black—that my Blackness served as some kind of barrier to his romantic attention.

I felt a familiar echo of that othering feeling while watching Gabriel describe Reeves with that term, and several times again in the show when the Black women were called words that have come to be synonymous with it: ”boss,” “hard-working,” “queen.”

those descriptors typically came right before the male contestants made it known that they weren’t interested in these women romantically.

Black woman realizes that being a 'strong independent woman', is, in fact, unattractive to most men. Give her a round of applause, she is smarter than every white career woman waking up one morning at 35 and wondering why she's single despite earning six figures.

Casting more people who have previous experience dating Black women could do wonders to move the needle for people of color on dating shows.

I've dated a mulatto woman - which is black by the the standards of the democrats' one drop rule.

I've dated one, and I talk somewhat regularly to another. Let me describe the one I dated, vs the one I do not:

One of them stays away from political discussions and would like to be a stay at home mother, but has never been able to conceive due to a lifetime of health issues with her ovaries and uterus. She is very accommodating, a people pleaser, smiles a lot, and her biggest problem is that she often doesn't know when to tell people 'No' because she's just so sweet and wants everyone to get along and be happy.

The other talks about black history month like it's a religious holiday, wears shirts with things like ''Nah' - Rosa Parks' and 'MELANATED' on them, and is a my-way-or-the-highway type who posts gym selfies where she does everything in her power to look as tough and aloof and bitchy as she can, because she is utterly married to the idea that she must project strength and dominance at all times and there is no room in her life for her to ever be anything but strong and 'in charge', although she has nothing to be in charge of, because she's a foreveralone.

I've mentioned before on this board that I'm a fucking momma's boy and that frankly nothing gets my dick harder than a big, built bitch who can throw her weight around and make me bark like a dog, but GUESS WHICH ONE I FUCKIN' DATED?

The smiling, cuddly, sweet one.

Because why would I date an uppity brainwashed bitch who's going to be a pain in the ass?