BLACK AND WHITE

Monroe addresses the reality that a black woman who is with a white man is seen as raising herself. And a white woman who is with a black man is seen as lowering herself. But when it’s time for analysis, Monroe stops at asking why blacks date whites, and not the reverse question. Monroe’s piece ignores the recent phenomenon of black women who expressly prefer white men. It only refers to black women who claim to be with white men because they just happened to fall for them or because, their new excuse, there’s a shortage of black men.

A glance at most large-city alternative-weekly personal sections reveals that black women who specifically desire white men aren’t rare. The same goes for white men searching for black women.

HUGH PEARSON

San Francisco