HATEmail: “What’s Your Beef With Kevin Hart and the Picture He Posted?”

A few readers felt like I overreacted regarding the Kevin Hart photo controversy. Your questions, my answers.

By: Amanda Anderson-Niles

Amanda,

Let me first say that I love the site. It is always good to see black women do their thing. I love that this is the one magazine for black women that is so raw and uncut, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything you print. And I certainly did not agree with your anger for Kevin Hart the other day. What was wrong with the picture he posted on his Facebook page? Is it not true? I am a black man, and I completely agree with the message it portrayed. Most black women do not want good men because they think we are boring. They will skip the good dudes for the street thugs because they are more exciting That is the truth, so why do you consider Kevin Hart as a black woman hater for posting the truth? Makes no sense.

Nathan E.

Nathan,

Thank you for supporting our dream, and your encouragement is one of many that keeps us publishing. But as you mentioned, there’s a rawness that every editor has when we write these articles. Particularly, most will find our content polarizing, but we always did set out to invoke emotions and encourage thought. I’m not saddened when someone disagrees with me, I’m just hoping to inspire more conversation. We are a magazine for black women that has a clear purpose.

Here’s the problem with this photo…

For one thing, let’s not play that tired ass stereotype-the-black-woman game. No, most black women do NOT prefer criminals, however, some black men tend to hang on to this falsehood to have a reason to NOT date black women. We are all grown now, hell, date whoever you want; but don’t taint the image of the black woman to do so. That is not necessary, and you just make yourself look completely stupid.

Most black women are college educated. In fact, the statistics say we are more likely to get college degrees than black men. And most educated black women seek their equivalent in relationships. When I was dating, I didn’t date thugs, and I surely didn’t marry one. In fact, all of my married girlfriends married educated black men with no criminal records. Are we in the minority? Of course not. But looking at that photo, one would think otherwise.

This picture tells too many lies. The first one being that black women only want thugs, the second being that a black man with an education is only desired by white women, and lastly, that we as a whole are uneducated hood-rats. But how is that possible when we continue to outnumber BLACK MEN in education and entrepreneurship? Stop the shenanigans.

It is no one’s fault but your own when you continue to pursue the wrong types of women. If you’re not a thug, stop looking to hood-rats to somehow embody what educated black women embody. Date women of your caliber, and race has little to do with that.

You want a woman to appreciate the fact that you are educated? Fine, but you don’t have to turn your back on black women to find her. In fact, black men would find plenty if they decided to get a college degree.

In the meantime, throwing the same women who loved you and had YOUR back through the marches and the struggle is foolish and damn near embarrassing.How did you end up hating the one group of women who endures the same adversities that you go through? Now THAT doesn’t make much sense to me.

It’s time to grow up gentlemen.

Got beef with something we said? Email us, and let’s talk about it. Keep it classy please.