While it may not have been evident to some in America, for many Black people we understood for Rachel Lindsay to be the new star of season 13 of The Bachelorette, she would have to be damn near perfect without a blemish in sight in order to stand on that platform.  In the history of the show which has been on the air for 14 years, there has never been a Black Bachelorette. (Nor has there ever been a Black Bachelor.)  I was not surprised to find out that Rachel was a lawyer at a prestigious law firm in Dallas, Texas. At 31 years old, Rachael has been described as career driven and passionate. She is an attractive Black woman that appears to be confident in who she is and that understands that the world is watching her.

Rachel Lindsey ABC/Craig Sjodin

Indeed, for many Black people to be accepted into any position that America sees as a typical “White” space, Black people must be flawless. Look at former President Barack Obama and his exceptional credentials.  Barack Obama went to Columbia, worked as a community organizer, attended and graduated from Harvard where he was the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a civil right attorney and a professor that taught Constitutional Law. He was a United States Senator. On top of that, he has never been caught in any marital scandal, meeting, falling in love with and marrying, successful attorney, Michelle Obama. They have two beautiful daughters that have managed under the scrutiny of being a child in the First Family, to maintain who they are and be intelligent, well-rounded young women. Everything about Barack Obama had to be perfect, and finally, America felt in the history of the United States Government that it was time to allow a Black man to sit in the Oval Office.

Similarly, The Bachelorette decided it was finally time for a Black woman to hand out the roses to would be suitors. While the perspective husbands-to-be varied in race, and it was the first time I saw so many Black males on the show, research has shown that 59% of the Black contestants on the Bachelor exit in the first two weeks.

Rachel Lindsay ABC/Craig Sjodin

Ultimately, who Rachel decides to be with will be her choice. Black or White. That is the thing about love and relationships. The heart wants what the heart wants, and while I am a fan and champion of Black Love, I am also a fan of love and how love looks, no one knows. Love is promiscuous, it goes where it wants, how it wants and does what it wants with whoever it wants. Which brings me to the point of this blog. Newsweek decided it would be a good idea to write an article that leads with this headline on Twitter: New “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay is Proving Black Women Actually Do Like Men Outside Their Race. What? Really? I had to read it again to make sure it was not 1917.  (I would link to the article, but apparently, someone at Newsweek woke up and realized the dragging they were getting was too much and removed the article. But screenshots are forever, and something told me they would delete the tweet, so I took a screenshot of it. My petty is strong.)

Yes, Newsweek Black women actually do like men outside of their race. I am going to go a step further and tell you;Black women even love men AND women outside of their race. And sometimes, and I know this may be hard for you to comprehend, Black women even marry men and women outside of their race. And sometimes, wait for it…Black women have babies with men outside of their race. I know! Crazy, huh?

While I know you may not believe it, Black women actually have rights to do things now. Here are just a few things in the list of endless things that Black women can now do:

• Vote
• Ride in front of the bus
• Own homes
• Go to school
• Eat anywhere they want in a restaurant
• Swim in pools with White people
• Not put up with your stupid shit
• Star in movies and not only be cast as the maid
• Be the CEO’s of companies
• Start their own business
• Excel in politics
• Nurse their own kids
• Love whoever the fuck they want

While it may have taken The Bachelorette 14 years to have a Black woman on the show, Newsweek, you lose for setting us back years with your Twitter headline. Black women can do all things and we will not allow the world to place yet another box around who we are “permitted” to love. We didn’t work this hard, looking this damn good not to love whoever we want to love!  Simply get in line behind The Bachelorette, Newsweek if you are just now waking up to the realization that Black women indeed are amazing!

Beyonce/Giphy