• I don't get it
    20

    Here's the problem I have with this avenue of thinking. To 'discriminate' can mean "the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things" but it can also mean "recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another."

    To be able to say something is "racist" one has to be acknowledging the existence of different races. (If I'm misrepresenting what you define as race, please, inform me.) When you define a race, you are admitting different features, such as differing levels of melanin in one's skin, different average height, weight, body shapes, and a different ethnic history.

    So I would have to agree with you that it's "racist" to be attracted based on false stereotypes such as intelligence, behavior, etc., since these are what would entail normal bigoted beliefs.

    But what if someone likes taller dudes? That person is less likely to be into asians. If they motice this recurring pattern, and decide they're more attracted to blacks than asians, does this make them "racist"? Some guys are only attracted to "thick" women, and in this case, they are a lot less likely to be attracted to asian women than many other ethnic groups.

    So my point is, that it isn't racist to hold subconcious "value judgements" about different features that one race has more of than another, and then to conciously and verbally make the observation. If one refused a tall or thick attractive asian man or woman based off said observation, then that would be racism.
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    So I would have to agree with you that it's "racist" to be attracted based on false stereotypes such as intelligence, behavior, etc., since these are what would entail normal bigoted beliefs.I don't get it

    What do you mean? At the risk of sounding bigoted myself, do you feel attracted to ugly, morally bankrupt, idiots? I'm fairly certain that I speak for everyone, everyone who's "normal" at least, that looks, brains, moral character are high on the list of requirements in a potential partner.

    But what if someone likes taller dudes?I don't get it

    You're way off the mark here. The OP is specifically about attraction based on race and not anything else. Granted that liking tall people will might well look like preferring taller races but then it doesn't preclude a liaison/relationship with a taller member of a comparatively shorter race but being drawn to a particular race would mean one would be happy with a shorter member of whicheve race one is partial to.

    All that said, the firsr order of business seems to be to clarify what race means. So, African people are taller than Asians but what about pygmies? Asians have mongoloid eye folds but some Africans have them too. What we have are physical features that don't recognize the racial divisions that we've divvied up humanity into.
  • Deleted User
    0
    No. But not being attracted to a certain race does sound like racism
  • unenlightened
    9.2k
    Some of us become attracted to a person, not a type.
  • synthesis
    933
    Perhaps it might be expedient to discuss what isn't racism.
  • Nikolas
    205
    Italians are racist. They live in a country called Italy and celebrate their distinctive nature. No diversity and proud of their culture. How racist can they get? America must send Joe Biden and BLM to Italy to straighten them out and teach them the error of their ways and what to be attracted to. They will get Italy to change its name into something approved by the cancel culture
  • baker
    5.6k
    All that said, the firsr order of business seems to be to clarify what race means.TheMadFool
    There are no true Scotsmen!
  • I don't get it
    20

    I mean no one cares if they don't prefer red heads or short guys, etc, so why do they cry racism?

    This is what made me think we were talking about physical traits, not brains or moral character. Many guys choose women based entirely off of looks, not personality or morality.

    Now that I've given it some more thought, I suppose it could be thought of as a form of racism to group all the people of a race as attractive based off common features, when you could just simply look for those attractive features in individuals.

    I think I might have been a little to quick to jump into this one.
  • Darkneos
    689
    It is a thing. I just on average find myself more attracted to black men. It's got nothing to do with class it's just appearance.
  • 180 Proof
    15.4k
    ... it's just appearance.Darkneos
    And also a comfortable familiarity with them, no?

    So does your attraction differentiate among black men from North America, Carribean islands? Cuba? Brazil? Briton? Southern Europe? East / South / West Africa? ...

    Or, more generally, what about "mixed race" black guys or very dark bruthas – preference either way or not?
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    I really don't think that you should see your liking for black men as problematic. It would be as absurd as seeing your liking for men as sexism against women. I think that the world is full enough of homophobia and we need to get to a place where personal preferences is disentangled from the political.

    On a similar level, I was once speaking to a woman about the music I liked and because I like male vocalists and bands she suggested that I was sexist in my taste. This did bother me, but I thought that really what music I like is personal taste and nothing more. If I was working in the music industry and took this further and only supported male artists, or showed them favour, it is at this point that I think that I would be crossing the line into actual sexism. As it is, I have discovered some female artists who I like more recently.

    So, with your taste in black men, it may be worth you thinking what it is that appeals to you psychologically, but beyond this why not simply accept, embrace and celebrate your personal taste for what it is.
12Next
bold
italic
underline
strike
code
quote
ulist
image
url
mention
reveal
youtube
tweet
Add a Comment

Welcome to The Philosophy Forum!

Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.