Well, actually, I think the poor guy does. (And I mean “poor” as in “I can’t believe he doesn’t own a shirt like that!”)
Just because someone feels that Black women (or Asian or Mensa or, you know, Straight Dope Posters) gets his rooster crowing, doesn’t mean that a few members of that admired group can’t be singled out for a big bowl of “Yech!” (Star Jones–for both convenience and truth’s sake–being a prime example.) Exceptions happen, I feel, no matter the stated generalization.
Sure, sweeping comments can lead to, as you mentioned, unintended stereotypes, but that doesn’t mean the stereotypes are inherently immoral. At the worst (hopefully) in a case like this, the sweeping comment serves mainly as a time-saver or a device for the economy of words. (At the best, maybe he does like all Black women–old, eye patch and all.)
For example, a man may say aloud that he prefers Asian women, yet purposely omits that he doesn’t find attractive the (largely) shared physical traits of a particular Asian subset. He may enjoy grooving to the sight of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Korean and Filipino women, but politely says “No thanks” to the Vietnamese.
That generalization (“I like Asian women”) is easier (and much more convenient) to say than “I like these groups of Asian women, but prefer to not date these groups…” This doesn’t make him a racist, nor does it reveal a latent ignorance of the fact that not all Asian women are the same. All it does it save him the time of pointing out the many, many exceptions which probably exist in tangent with his stated preference.
Moreover, I feel that the above case is similar to someone saying, “I want me a smart chick!” Not ALL intelligent women will ignite his pilot light, true, but intelligence is definitely a trait he’s looking for. In addition, he doesn’t describe (nor should he have to do so, I feel) what level of intelligence he would like her to have. He pretty much just lumps all intelligent women in a group for the sake of convenience.
Of course, in either case, I do concede that it’s probably better to at least add a qualifier to the statement. Maybe saying “I like most such-and-such women!” is a tad truer to the full details than what you usually get.
Me? Hell, I just go after the “exotic” (Ahem!) women who initially think I’m gay. Then, when their heterosexual shield is down, I strike! (Then they kick me in the balls, I cry, they feel sorry for me, agree to a date and we live happily ever after. Or we will once our dogs-who-don’t-ever-stop-peeing-on-furniture go away and never come back.)
