# Are black women generally less attractive then white women? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163 "2009-01-27T01:16:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/181 "2010-07-26T04:19:20Z")
Straight white male here. Women, in order of general attractiveness (IMO, of course): White \> Hispanic \> Asian \> Middle Eastern \> Indian \> Black \> REALLY Black \> American Indian Apologies to any Native American women who read this. 😛 I’m obviously missing ethnic groups from that list, but those are the ones that come to mind. White and Hispanic women are preferred. I tend to find members of the other ethnic groups less attractive than my peers do. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/182 "2010-07-26T04:25:08Z")
I generally find dark skin attractive, unless it is so dark that I can no longer make out attractive features. Or if it has that grayish tint. I tend to find that too dark skin is definitely a minus, but it’s not the absolute worst thing–I’ve seen models with dark brown skin that looked extremely attractive. But, even then, I’m not sure it’s not because they know how to add a bit of color–usually white (which looks amazing on dark skin) I also notice that the so-called black features mentioned above don’t age as well. To me, they start looking more maternal rather quickly. I do find dark skinned women without those stereotypical features (like, say Filipinas) to be more attractive. But, then again, I find “Asian” features attractive in general. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/183 "2010-07-26T05:32:17Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > [QUOTE=rhubardin] > > This is a great post. Whitewashing happens in America, but let’s not forget that most of Africa is populated by people who don’t have what Americans may think of as stereotypically ‘African’ (West African?) features, without racial mixing. I don’t even think it’s about white people assuming black people all have stereotypical features. That model that my post was about has thick lips, large round eyes, a non-aquiline nose, dark skin…features that are inarguably associated with black folk. So the real issue is a bit deeper than that. I think a lot of white people have the subconscious belief that if a black women looks attractive to them, it’s because they look white. Black features that match up to a pretty face suddenly become “white features”. [/QUOTE] Excellent point. I’ve also seen a lot of black men and women dismiss attractive black women as ‘white’ and therefore unrepresentative of the diversity of black, African-American or African beauty. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/184 "2010-07-26T09:57:30Z")
To me the most interesting thing about this thread are all the statuesque women of any race being called beautiful. Last I checked heterosexual men were fans of soft features. A woman whose face looks like it was cut from stone may be striking, but that’s not really the same thing. As a nerdy white guy in his early twenties, I find certain types of black American women to have extraordinarily hot bodies. Maybe not classically beautiful, but I still want to jump their bones. “Bootylicious” is right. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be a two way street. “Once you go white you stay tight” never caught on. I was never a fan of pale blondes. They look like they’re made out of plastic. Or porcelain. I love dark skinned brunettes, so hispanics, iddle easterners, and Indians make me weak in the knees. As a nerd I have very little interest in East Asian girls despite the fact I’m supposed to. The main attraction would be the fact they’re more likely to be a nerd like me. But physically, I’d rank them lower than the others. Not that they’re ugly or anything, but on a sliding scale… I’ll just make a reference to that Fark “sharp knees” image now before someone else does. ---
**Author:** ![bullrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@bullrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bullrun)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/185 "2010-07-28T20:28:57Z")
Yep! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/186 "2010-07-28T20:45:40Z")
Attractiveness involves more than just beauty. I’m attracted to women who act classy and proud and strong . Race does not factor in. I’m most attracted to women of the white race followed by polynesians purely on the basis of physical features. I’m attracted to women who evoke sexuality with every breath and for some unknown reason that is mostly blacks for me. Serina Williams would be my pin up girl if I was inclined to post pin ups. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/187 "2010-07-29T14:58:58Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > [togoforum.com](http://www.togoforum.com/Ap/missNigeria01.jpg) > > A stunningly beautiful African woman. Wow! She certainly is beautiful! ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/188 "2010-07-29T17:37:07Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Here is an article you may find interesting: > > [Is Love Colorblind?](http://www.isteve.com/IsLoveColorblind.htm) > > > [@](#): > > > > The heart of the problem for Asian men and black women is that intermarriage does not treat every sex/race combination equally: on average, it has offered black men and Asian women new opportunities for finding mates among whites, while exposing Asian men and black women to new competition from whites. > [@Kimstu](#): > > 😕 If black men are more likely to date white women than white men are to date black women, why should we assume that it’s because black women are less attractive than white women? Maybe it’s because white men are less attractive than black men. > > Or maybe the whole issue is too complicated to explain with simplistic inferences about some kind of objective cross-racial measure of “attractiveness”. > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Also wanted to add that maybe a lot of it is the fact that people in general tend to be more attracted to what we grow up around. I’m Asian by ethnicity but I’ve grown up around mostly white people, so I’ve pretty much dated and slept with primarily white guys, and that’s who I tend to find attractive. I don’t really find guys of my own race that attractive…or of other races, in general. > [@SomeBodyUK](#): > > I kind of agree, I know Chinese women from Taiwan/HK who think Indian men are gross, yet in my experience Chinese women from Malaysia, UK, Singapore are very much open to dating them. There’s a large Indian population in those countries. > > It kind of works the other way too, if a guy who’s of background which isn’t commonly seen in an area visits that area, he can get a lot of atention. I know a black american guy who got a lot of female company in Finland, and I had women approaching me in China. > > Regarding the orignal poster, well beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Tastes differ everywhere. I’m British, now located in LA. I’ve noticed that a lot of guys love east-Asian women here, in UK I never heard anybody rave about them. > [@Sublight](#): > > Right, even if only a small percentage of the population finds your particular ethnic group “exotic”, you’re still going to be getting more attention than you can handle when you’re the only one in town. > > Worked for me. > [@Lamia](#): > > > [@Mijin](#): > > > > The only thing I can say is that at some level, black women have become “not my type”. All the pictures that have been posted on this thread look beautiful to me. I just can’t imagine _me_ with those women. > > Several of the white men in this thread have said basically the same thing – that while some black women are beautiful, they are not personally attracted to these women. I take this to mean that it isn’t some flaw in black women’s looks that’s the issue, but rather that a lot of white men are for some non-looks related reason not interested in black women. > > I’ve mentioned before that one of my best friends in college was a biracial girl (black mom and white dad, as it happens) with an ambiguous “exotic” appearance. People assumed she was pretty much any ethnicity _other_ than black or white – Latina, Filipina, Arabian, South Asian, Native American, etc. This girl was really good looking and got hit on by guys of all races all the time, but she told me she’d learned the hard way to make it clear up front that she was black. A fair number of non-black guys would suddenly lose interest once they knew. So it wasn’t her looks that these guys found unattractive, it was the fact that she was the “wrong” race. > > Simple racism is one possible reason for this sort of thing, although I think for most men it’s TOO simple. Fear of outside disapproval is perhaps more common; this same friend told me she had also been out with white guys who went to some trouble to avoid having her meet their parents or friends. She called this the “wait in the car” treatment, as in “I’ve got to run in and get something from my mom…why don’t you just wait in the car?” > > Another reason is that many people don’t seek relationships or even casual sexual partners outside their own race. This doesn’t necessarily mean they think people of other races aren’t good enough, just that they don’t meet a lot of people of other races or believe on some level that people of other races are culturally different enough that they are unlikely to be compatible. > > A related reason might be that a lot of black women are not interested in dating white men. Several other posters have already pointed this out as a possible explanation for the relatively low number of white man/black woman interracial couples. So a white man may not think of a black woman, no matter how beautiful, as a potential partner due an expectation of rejection. > > That said, I have several black or biracial friends who are involved with white guys. The friend I’ve been talking about is currently engaged to a white man. I have another biracial friend who’s married to a white man, and know two other black women married to white men. Most of my friends are white, but I don’t know any white women my own age who are involved with black men, only older (40+) couples. > [@athelas](#): > > > [@brazil84](#): > > > > Here is an article you may find interesting: > > > > [Is Love Colorblind?](http://www.isteve.com/IsLoveColorblind.htm) > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > The heart of the problem for Asian men and black women is that intermarriage does not treat every sex/race combination equally: on average, it has offered black men and Asian women new opportunities for finding mates among whites, while exposing Asian men and black women to new competition from whites. > > I like this approach. When discussing something as abstract as beauty, talk generally degenerates into either status mongering between different groups or vapid talk about Platonic essences. It’s much more instructive to look at what people _do_, rather than say. > > I started a [thread](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=553002) earlier after noting some racial trends that are not much talked about, at least in public. > > > [@](#): > > > > Among the women, 73% stated a [racial] preference. Of these, 64% selected whites only, while fewer than 10% included East Indians, Middle Easterners, Asians or blacks. … 59% of [men] stated a racial preference. Of these, nearly half selected Asians, but fewer than 7% did for black women. … In October, [[OkCupid.com](http://OkCupid.com)], 80% of whose members choose to input their race, studied the messaging patterns of more than a million users and concluded on its official blog that “racism is alive and well.” … I noticed this disparity at least 20 years ago during my hard core partying days. If you were a black female or an Asian male, you had to meet a pretty high threshhold to make it past the bouncer. To be fair, black guys had a hard time at some of these clubs as well (where the bouncers were mostly black). When I was young and cool and spent more on clothing than I currently do on car payments and spent more on car payments than some people spend on home payments, it was easy to get a date of any race but after law school, when I wore a suit all the time, it got harder to date outside my race and many Asian women started to ignore me as well. I am told things have changed for young Asian men these days but I think its still there, I think its perpetuated by the media and I think there’s no use in crying about it. Of course the answer is for Asian men to date black women. Its not a combination you see very often (I dated a black girl once but it didn’t lasts very long, people looked at us like they had just seen a unicorn). > [@cinehead](#): > > > [@DianaG](#): > > > > But I have to admit that I’m giggling on the inside at the thought that most of the men who vehemently state her unattractiveness aren’t so much put off by her physical features as by the more-than-occasional look on her face that conveys “Fuck with me, and I will crush you like the worm you are.” > > Funny, that’s exactly why I find her hot. I think she has an underbite which throws me off a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/189 "2010-07-29T18:51:34Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > If you were a black female or an Asian male, you had to meet a pretty high threshhold to make it past the bouncer. To be fair, black guys had a hard time at some of these clubs as well (where the bouncers were mostly black). I don’t think bouncer’s decisions are based on perceptions of which race is hotter, especially when considering whether to admit guys. I think things like gender, whether you look fashionable, whether you look like you’ll cause trouble etc are more important. (yes, your race will affect whether the bouncer thinks you’ll cause trouble, but that’s not to do with attractiveness). ---
**Author:** ![ThornInMySide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@ThornInMySide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThornInMySide)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/190 "2010-07-30T01:18:08Z")
If you think black women are not among the world’s most attractive women, I suggest you tune into “Soul Train” one of these days. That said, the question is more specifically, are black women less attractive than white women “generally.” In other words, is the average black woman in the country less attractive than the average white woman? Who knows. Many factors would affect something like that, including economic station, health, intelligence, etc. Taking the matter from a strictly biological perspective, the slave trade and institutionalized prejudice probably eliminated weaker individuals from the black gene pool, at least in the Western Hemisphere, hence one might expect to see healthier individuals among that group today, and one’s state of health usually strongly influences attractiveness. There are beautiful women of all races in America, even though the average American woman may be somewhat less than beautiful. In fact, where I live (out in the provinces) the looks of the average female is nothing to shake a stick at. In contrast, a cute woman who is healthy and takes care of herself, who is in good shape and dresses nicely, who styles her hair in an alluring manner and makes the most of her natural attractiveness – she is, unfortunately, an uncommon sight. I saw a young lady in KMart the other day who was exceptionally cute but she looked rather young and I couldn’t do more than glance in her direction because I was walking past her with my wife. I didn’t get a very good look but what I saw was most impressive for these parts. That said, I think my wife is the prettiest woman I’ve ever known but it has somewhat more to do with the beauty of her soul than her outward appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/191 "2010-07-30T04:36:46Z")
You know what? The OP is full of shit. I have heard this in bars all over the place. It’s the old “Would you fuck a nigger?” It’s racist bullshit couched in terms to try to inspire “debate”. The OP and his drunk buddies are racist assholes and I can’t believe many of you can’t see through this bullshit. And Tom, I know this is in GD, and I don’t give a flying fuck if you ban me. That OP is so transparent it is agonizingly ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/192 "2010-07-30T06:03:13Z")
> [@Klaatu](#): > > You know what? The OP is full of shit. I have heard this in bars all over the place. > > It’s the old “Would you fuck a nigger?” > > It’s racist bullshit couched in terms to try to inspire “debate”. > > The OP and his drunk buddies are racist assholes and I can’t believe many of you can’t see through this bullshit. > > And Tom, I know this is in GD, and I don’t give a flying fuck if you ban me. > > That OP is so transparent it is agonizingly ridiculous. Well, damn. In fairness to the OP, he didn’t actually use the word ‘nigger’. Hey, by the by, do white boys really have that conversation?? I would have thought that just \*fucking \*a black girl would go without saying! Even for those not typically attracted to black women. Man, I thought that was something Hollywood made up for the movies. I would have never guessed that kind of bar talk really goes down. ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/193 "2010-07-30T06:13:19Z")
> [@](#): > > If black men are more likely to date white women than white men are to date black women, why should we assume that it’s because black women are less attractive than white women? Maybe it’s because white men are less attractive than black men. No, it’s because black men are “in”. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/194 "2010-07-30T07:02:42Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > No, it’s because black men are “in”. Seems to me, they’ve been in since the 70s. Maybe before that, but I wasn’t born then. When are they going out? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/195 "2010-07-30T07:13:20Z")
What in the shit is going on in this thread? Here, I can save you all four pages (and apparently two years) worth of “debate”: No, black women are not generally less attractive than white women. There, debate settled. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/196 "2010-07-30T07:59:09Z")
The OP is a loaded question for sure. If I only like milky white skin and freckles on a redheaded woman does that make me a racist? I now have to feel guilt over my natural flow of sexual thoughts? I’d love to moterboat Queen Latifah’s boobies FWIW. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/197 "2010-07-30T10:54:59Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Hey, by the by, do white boys really have that conversation?? I would have thought that just \*fucking \*a black girl would go without saying! They have been fucking us. For centuries. What, do they think all the high-yella and _cafe au lait_ folks you see out there just sprang out from random genetic mutations or something? Of course, black women are attractive to white men. It just hasn’t been traditionally okay to admit as much in public. I bet it would blow their minds to know that their great-great-great granddaddies–as well as their progeny–were getting it on with some midnight miscegenation. Maybe it was rape, maybe it was consensual. For those who doubt, just listen to the lyrics in the Rolling Stone’s “Brown Sugar”. You will not hear much about food! ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/198 "2010-07-30T11:21:07Z")
" they have been fucking us. for centuries." :dubious: How bout _"we_ have been fucking for centuries"? ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/199 "2010-07-30T11:30:56Z")
And not to hijack but… Hey, Sisters, ever fuck a cracker? You _have_ to add the race card in order talk about this stuff. DUH! otherwise you just have “Have you ever fucked?” ---
**Author:** ![Khaki\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Khaki\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khaki_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163/200 "2010-07-30T11:35:58Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > > [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > > > Hey, by the by, do white boys really have that conversation?? I would have thought that just \*fucking \*a black girl would go without saying! > > They have been fucking us. For centuries. What, do they think all the high-yella and _cafe au lait_ folks you see out there just sprang out from random genetic mutations or something? Of course, black women are attractive to white men. It just hasn’t been traditionally okay to admit as much in public. > > I bet it would blow their minds to know that their great-great-great granddaddies–as well as their progeny–were getting it on with some midnight miscegenation. Maybe it was rape, maybe it was consensual. For those who doubt, just listen to the lyrics in the Rolling Stone’s “Brown Sugar”. You will not hear much about food! “They have been fucking us”. No. _Some_ have been fucking _them_. And don’t use generalities like _black women are attractive to white men_. Some white men are not in the least attracted to black women. And last, don’t use French if you can’t even spell it correctly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-black-women-generally-less-attractive-then-white-women/483163.md?page=11)