Love Is Blind

When it comes to love... I see no color! I never have. Growing up in a diverse community in California, taught me to love with no boundaries. Now, more so than ever, we are seeing more and more interracial couples popping up. Of course, we have always seen the proverbial black male/white female relationships, but in today's society and with the so called "shortage of good black men", black women are turning to other options. What are the reasons behind this trend becoming so widely accepted? Could it be because we're not being challenged by our own black men? Or the fact that, most of our black men are incarcerated?

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the number of black women/white men marriages skyrocketed from 60,000 in 1993 to 122,000 in 1995. Why are more Black women dating White men? Some professionals argue that the reason why more black women are turning to white men or outside of the black race in general, is the fact that the education levels are not balanced. Most black women prefer a man that has equal to or greater than educational knowledge than themselves. Dr. Tyrone Carter says that the alarming rate of black women flowing over to white men should send a wake up call to the brothers out there. This should tell them that maybe they need to re-evaluate who they are and what they have to bring to the table. I agree with that sentiment. But does it really matter? Aren't we taught to love for what is on the inside and not the outside? But what I have noticed, and this is just my opinion; I've noticed that when you date some black men, you hardly get the attention that you need/deserve. But with the white men that I have dated, it was like meeting a whole new species. I'm not saying that all white men are perfect or they know how to treat you, the percentage of white families where there was both a mother and a father present, typically shows the children how married life should be and what it is like to be committed to someone. In most black american families, the percentage of two parent homes are lower, thus usally resulting in the men leaving and the family to be taken care of by the mother. I think most of you know what I'm getting at here. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you. Remember, this is MY OPINION!

The movie Something New with Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker gave the world a peek into what it's like for a proud black woman to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new and exciting. Despite, what the main character in the movie surmised what true love should be like, i.e., successful black man meets equally successful black woman, she found herself falling for the total opposite. A white man, who from first glance, didn't seem equally as smart, but was, and a man who lived a meager lifestyle. Sanaa's character found herself falling for this man. I'm sure in the beginning it's purely curiosity, but you have to let your guard down sometimes. You can't help who you fall in love with; You can fight it... but you damn sure can't help it. Look at the Hollywood starlets below who have no shame in sharing their interracial love!

Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa

Paula Patton and Robin Thicke

Sharon Leal and husband Bev Land

Venus Williams and boyfriend Hank Kuehne

Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and husband Mike Nilon

Halle Berry and long-term boyfriend Gabriel Aubrey

Justin Chambers and wife Keisha Chambers

Keesha Sharp and husband Bradford Sharp