Black Men, Attraction & Body Types
Hey, so full disclosure: I’m a Black American who lives overseas. I don’t live in America anymore, but I wanted to have a genuine, light discussion about the types of bodies we’re attracted to.
I know weight can be a touchy subject, so I’m going to try to be as sensitive as I can.
Growing up, I was into all different types of girls, but there were a few body types I tended to gravitate toward. One was the 90s/2000s version of “slim thick.” And I specifically say 90s/2000s because I was a 90s kid, a 2000s teenager, and a young adult in the 2000s. I think “slim thick” as it’s defined now is probably a lot more forgiving than what it meant back then.
I also liked athletic-built girls and skinny, petite girls. I was a string bean as a child and teenager myself, so I figured I couldn’t hate girls who looked like me.
I usually tended to be the odd guy out in my Black friend groups, though. I don’t know how much of it was genuine preference versus hyperbole or trying to fit into the group, but most of my Black guy friends would say they liked girls with a fat ass, or “meat on their bones,” or something along those lines.
I’ve always wondered how much of that came from actually preferring that body type versus simply hearing that preference expressed so much around them.
FWIW, I grew up in a two-parent home, but neither of my parents really discussed body types when it came to potential partners for me. My mom probably would have been happy if I dated a very Christian girl next door, while my dad would have been happy with whoever I wanted; as long as I wasn’t gay.
For clarification, I also went to all-white schools and lived in predominantly white neighborhoods. As a teenager, I started painting my hair, wearing eyeliner, dressing scene/emo, and eventually became the vocalist in some screamo garage bands
My dad was still supportive when I started dating girls, though.
But I digress.
So I want to ask the brothers in here: what body types do you prefer?
And I’m not trying to shame the body types you don’t prefer. I’m more interested in the cultural conversation around attraction and the stereotypes surrounding Black men and what we supposedly desire in a female partner.
There’s the stereotype that Black men are especially accepting of different body types. You have non-Black women who date Black men saying that one of the things they love about Black men is that we’re so accepting of their bodies.
Then you have the jokes saying , “If a Black guy hits on you, it’s time to hit the gym.”
So how much validity is there to any of that?
I also think living overseas has changed the way I look at body size in general. I’m not going to get too deep into the obesity epidemic in America, but after living in Japan for so long, the difference in body size between Americans and locals can be pretty striking.
Even when someone isn’t technically “obese,” “fat,” or “overweight” by American standards, they can still look noticeably heftier than the average person in many other countries, especially in Asia. I can often tell an Asian American from a local because of what they’re wearing and by their build.
But again, I digress.
What kinds of body types are you attracted to? And how do you feel about the broader conversation around body size in the Black community, particularly as it relates to Black women and the stereotype that Black men prefer larger women?