THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED!!!
Listed below are the 29 black men that at least four commenters on this blog think are gorgeous. Pick the one you think is the most gorgeous.
The poll will close Tuesday night California time (Wednesday January 19th 2011 at 08:00 GMT) – unless there is still more than one tie or a tie for tenth place.
The next day I will do a post listing the top ten. In time I will do a separate post on each of the ten winners.
First come the pictures (click to enlarge) and then comes the poll itself. Everything is in alphabetical order by first name.
You have only one vote, so use it wisely!!!
See also:
Only one vote? Damn. This is tough.
Btw I wonder if any other male hetero commenters on this blog get as excited about these polls as I do. Not sure if I’m normal.
I’m tempted to go for Thierry Henry, but I actually don’t think he’s amazing looking… it’s just that he is just so damn cool. I say that as a fan of his former team (Arsenal) who still owns a jersey with his name on the back.
Chiwetel… such an awesome and charismatic actor… deserves something… but not today…
Ok, final 3. How to choose between Idris Elba, Boris Kodjoe and Maxwell? All so different…
Ok, now with Idris it’s more about charisma than looks per se… so he’s out.
Maxwell – dude is pretty, no doubt. But Boris Kodjoe seems to have a better balance of pretty and rugged. So I go for him.
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Real shame we could only pick one. I picked Maxwell with TJ Holmes coming with a close second place.
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Boris Kodjoe looks waaaay too much like my brother so I can’t see him in that light.
I love Tyrese! And that photo does not do him justice. Same with Maxwell and The Rock (Dwyane Johnson). Ugh this is going to be tough.
At the end of it all, I voted for Chiwetel Ejiofor, I just love his face and his whole look, sexy, smart, fun and real.
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err.. I wouldn’t use gorgeous for dark skinned men or maybe for some Indian male actors that might be true.
Handsomeness is the way to go for Africans males.
Symmetry and Healthy look , add some alpha male coolness , some biceps and a well defined six-pack, and you get a winner.
My vote goes for Djimon Hounsou.
Although, every times i see Denzel on the screen, my heart skips a beat or two , out of jealousy.
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Only one?! How could you be so cruel?
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it was so hard to pick only one! Djimon Hounsou got my vote!!
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Only one? ahhhh!
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Shemar Moore…is just plain gorgeous. I could watch him for a long while. And if I were into cradle robbing, Will Demps is the way to go.
I guess I’m going to rob the cradle.
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Sigh… none of my faves made the cut… guess people don’t appreciate celebrity chefs and carpenters quite as much as I do. But, out of this bunch, Bob Marley has got my vote for sure.
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How on earth could I have forgotten Michael Ealy?!?! It was painful to bypass Lenny Kravitz, but Mr. Ealy caught my attention in the first Barber Shop movie and I’ve been a fan ever since. Had to cast my vote for him…
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Joanna, you can’t throw that teaser out there and then not name names.
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Nice list, what about Brian J. White. Mmmm which one to choose? Decisions, decisions! 🙂
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lifelearner:
If you had taken part in the nominations, then Brian White would have made it – three other commenters had named him, so he missed the cut by just one.
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It was easy enough to vote. I simply left out men such as Taye Diggs, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Michael Ealy, Sidney Poitier, Reggie Bush et al. Y’know, men who marry/date any-woman-but-black and do nothing to uplift black women. I’m afraid I’m not one to take the ‘higher road’ and all that…black women need all the support we can get so though it’s just a fun poll and there is some serious eye candy going on here ultimately I cannot support (no matter how obliquely) men who don’t support or stand up for women like me.
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Just one vote? Hmmm well of course, Michael Jackson.
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“It was easy enough to vote. I simply left out men such as Taye Diggs, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Michael Ealy, Sidney Poitier, Reggie Bush et al. Y’know, men who marry/date any-woman-but-black and do nothing to uplift black women. I’m afraid I’m not one to take the ‘higher road’ and all that…black women need all the support we can get so though it’s just a fun poll and there is some serious eye candy going on here ultimately I cannot support (no matter how obliquely) men who don’t support or stand up for women like me.”
I vote for Lenny Kravtiz. Could care less about who they marry. I don’t understand why grown people care who people that they will never know date. They’ll never date me or you. Having a sexual attraction to someone doesn’t mean that they respect you or are lifting up someone. There are other ways of uplifting people besides boking them. I guess, Bill Maher should be on this list. Stop getting your self worth from media. My second choice would be Prince.
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Almost all of these guys have short hair and a very clean-cut look, and are therefore not physically my type. I vote for Lenny Kravitz though, since he’s the only exception.
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Only one vote? You rascal you!
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No Lance Gross or Harry Belafonte : (.
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I voted for Chiwetel Ejiofor. He seems like an intelligent and interesting man.When a man is attractive and brilliant, he is so sexy to me. But one question. No Hill Harper? He should have been in the poll. I love him! Oh well. I think I picked a good one anyway.
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@Di
I don’t know about the other men you mentioned, but Bob Marley was married to a black woman, Rita Marley. She is Ziggy Marley’s mother.
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How dare you include the freak that was Michael Jackson he was last black in 1984!! I think you have insulted the other great blackmen ( and me) on the list to include him because when he died he was neither ‘Black’ nor a ‘Man’.
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Thanks mrbootylurver! You have just inspired me to do a much put off post on beefcake! I think I will call it ‘man meat galore’! What say you?
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@MrBootyluver
Well, I think the women may have been thinking about the look Michael had before he had all that plastic surgery. He was a gorgeous! I don’t care what anyone says. It is a shame Michael didn’t see his own attractiveness. His nose was perfect before he had the surgery. So when I think of Michael, I still see that handsome, brownskinned man with the wider nose. And he was still beautiful on the inside, even after the surgery.
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Flava Flav!
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Michael Steele!
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Hmm… sorry Dwayne. As much as I liked you as the Rock and as much as I wish you success as an actor and as funny, charming, and intelligent as you are I could not pick you over the delicious Djimon Hounsou. I will say that you are 1b to his 1a though.
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Calculator wrote: “Flava Flav!”
LOL!
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I agree, only one vote!!!! This is not fair! Michael Jackson was BEAUTIFUL when he was young and before he had tons of surgery. Who can forget his performance in Motown 25? Sexy, sexy!!!! Even in the movie “This is it”, he still had something special about him. He also had a beautiful soul, confused and filled with self-hatred, but harmless and beautiful.
I’m old school so Prince is really hot too, along with my president, Barack Obama. Special shout outs to Denzel Washington and LL Cool J who are just awesome. I have to admit that even though I have dated other races. I love black men!
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@G-ball
I agree with you. Black men have that special something that is irresistible! I love men regardless of their race but there something oh so sexy about an intelligent, confident, good-looking black man! And if he is kind and gentle too!!! That is just too hot to handle!!! I love my brothers!!
Thanks Abagond for this poll. I really enjoyed myself. I know I speak for others also.
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Jeri –
I know right, they just have that swagger. Like I said before, I love men period, but just seeing a good looking black man, who respects women, intelligent, hard working and confident just sets me off. They just blow all of the sterotypes out the window.
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How Sad that Tupac is not in the list because he was really handsome.
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And now, this special announcement:
The Obsidian Files has returned.
obsidianraw.bravejournal.com
Spread the word.
O.
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There are so many goodlooking men. I keep waffling back and forth. I have Blair Underwood, Boris Kodjoe, Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore, and Will Demps in mind. It’s SO hard to pick just one! 😉
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Oh hush bootyluver. Like Michael or not but he deserves to be on the list because he is a black man, a very talented one at that. He may have issues with looks but that doesn’t change the fact he had a beautiful. Surgery or no surgery he’s still sexy to me. Another beautiful is Blair underwood. He is gorgeous!!!
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I am not sure if I could vote. There are certainly at least 5 guys I’d like to vote for. Not sure what to do.
Di,
Bob Marley’s wife is black. Though I’m not sure if he could be a good example of a person who uplifted black (or any other) women.
Still like him a lot, though.
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@Mira
Yeah, I like him too. My dad had most of his albums and we would listen to Bob Marley for hours. My little sister loved the song “Crazy Baldheads”. I still have those fond memories of us as children listening to Bob Marley. My favorite song by Bob Marley is “Lively up yourself”. The live version is awesome!
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Here we go again. Just press “Watch on Youtube”. Allow for temporary pop-ups and press it again. Enjoy!
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I love Marvin Gaye. He was so talented. Here is a video of him on Soul Train, having himself a good old time!!!
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I love Lenny Kravitz! Here is his video, “It ain’t over til it’s over”
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Only 1?…..that sucks!
There are soooo many of them wish I could choose on here….but I had to go with Dwayne Johnson.
Then LL…
Then Boris….
Then Reggie….Even though he’s in to non black so I’ve heard.
Then Dijomon…
Then Shemar….
Then Idris….
And of course, then man himself, DENZEL. Not only a goodlookin man, but a fine actor.
Not exactly in this order either.
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LL Cool J. So sexy! “I’m Bad” is my favorite song by him. This is old skool for you.
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Prince. Well, what can I say. So talented. I love his song “Purple Rain” My favorite by him!
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Let’s try this again! Maxwell. “This woman’s work” I love him and his music! Enjoy
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Once again. Press “Watch on Youtube” You may have to allow for temporary pop-ups, then press again.
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I am glad Chewitel made the cut and is doing well.
He’s very HUMBLE.
He’s highly intelligent
He’s talented.
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It’s really not about me caring who they sleep with or marry. I am not so naive to think I can date these guys or whatever it’s simply about the wider, subliminal messages being sent- like it or not – that somehow these men may not see BW as viable and worthy partners. Yes I am aware of true love and attraction and so forth but when a subsection of men make it clear they are not interested in women of their race, it’s odd. Especially when no other race of men does this. When you put it together with the overall negative image BW have – unmarriageable, difficult, masculine and so forth it’s not good at all. My question is..where did all these unpleasant stereotypes about BW arise? What or who fuels them? I don’t know these men, don’t dislike them nor do I care about who they get with but I tend to give men like that a ‘side eye’ because of all the negativity surrounding BW. I’m kind of thinking…hmmm, are you with her because you love and adore her or is something else going on here? I don’t think about it again, I simply blank them out. Not on my radar etc.
For what it’s worth I will say this- I am a happily married mum of 2 kids (8 and 2), great husband (10 years and counting!) good career (healthcare field) AND African. So some of these issues don’t impact on me directly…but I identify with BW the worldover and whatever hurts them or their collective images, makes me sad. So yeah, in my own tiny way I refuse to support any man who directly or indirectly by his words or actions does nothing to uplift BW. BTW Chiwetel Ejiofor is also married to a WW, while Bob Marley though married to a BW allegedly cheated on her a lot with WW.
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@Mira
LOL! at your comment about Bob Marley possibly not uplifting BW or any other woman!
I liked that, it made me laugh. But you know what, WM, AM, Latin men did not need Mr Marley to uplift any other women because these groups of men do it for their women. They marry them, have kids by them, defend their honour, etc. I’m not saying all these men are perfect but enough of them do so that the women of their group do not have negative stereotypes attached to them. I recall when Kanye West was rude to Taylor Swift a while back- the fallout was widespread, brutal and really put him in his place. Contrast that to the Don Imus situation-not the same results at all. Believe me when the men of any group stand together and firm against anyone messing with their women everyone takes note.
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l I like Will Smith, especially his older music. I respect the fact that his music is what many would call clean, without the profanity or the disrespect towards women. I believe that is why he is successful to this day. Other rappers need to take note. Here is his video “Summertime”
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Di,
As far as we know, Bob Marley did cheat on his wife- only three of his kids have her as their mother. (And similar things are said about her, to be honest). But she’s black, so I think all I wanted to point out is that he did marry a black woman (and also that, sadly, it doesn’t prove anything).
Now, I am not into the group mentality and the whole “out men, out women” thing. There’s no reason to see people of the same race (ethnicity, nationality, etc.) but the opposite sex to be “yours” somehow. But then again, I am not much into collective identities so it all seems useless (and potentially damaging to me).
That being said, though, it is true black women are often unfairly portrayed a in a way that is inexcusable and completely unfair. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior.
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@Di
Yeah, I really don’t care who some black men choose to marry anymore. I have given up on that subject. Besides I anticipate that alot of black women will date/marry men outside the race and rightly should if many black men aren’t into black women anymore. I agree with Mira, we don’t own each other. People should be able to date whoever they want to although that is not always easy to accept. I admire these men mostly for their achievements and talent. I try not to think too much about who they have married or slept with. For the most part, I just don’t care, although I will admit I am somewhat disappointed that Chiwetel is married to a white women. Out of all the men, he seems the most attractive. But oh well, life goes on. I can’t let other people’s decisions bring me down. And I still have love for some black men. Which is why this poll is enjoyable to me. So I think we should not take things too seriously and just have fun with this poll. That’s it.
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There’s another thing to it… Just because someone’s wife/girlfriend (boyfriend/husband) is of a certain race, it doesn’t meant the person dislikes or is not attracted to people of other races. You can be attracted to people of various races (I know I am), and besides, each race is so diverse – you can always find somebody who is “your type”.
I am not against people dating and marrying people of their own race. However, I don’t buy the “race purity” thing, no matter which race proclaims it. (Same goes for ethnic or national purity).
That being said, I do acknowledge the issue of “trophy wives” and potential offense that brings. However, it should not stop anyone from engaging in any romantic relationship (s)he finds satisfying.
And yes, I am aware this is getting way off topic. So back on topic: I still don’t know how to cast my vote.
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No Wesley Snipes? What the hell?
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When Michael Jackson was young, in the Thriller era, he was very hot
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@D
about bob marley
(he didn’t uplift black women). he uplift people, especially black people. he cheated on his wife with all sort of women .you actually think because a black men marry a black women a white women cant catch his eye or any other race is incapable of doing this. bob marley a famous man, women chase him, the man like women in general . i rather his type than those who pretend that they are faithfull to their race. please not when it come to sex honey. let the right situation presents itself and you will see the hypocrits. i rather his type than those black men that are not into their very own women at all. he was a big time cheater yea, but he is not the only big time cheater. at the end of the day rita marley got every thing. if it makes you feel any better he also cheated with one of the black women in the band. and 2 of the outside kids was from black mothers.
it is alot of gorgeous black men to choose from
and then again i don’t think some of them on there are gorgeous they are just o.k.
i could only vote for one, i vote sidney poitier
and yes he is married to a white women, but that doesn’t stop me from seeing him to be GORGEOUS
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@ medium
Just curious where are you from? You type with an accent 🙂
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@jas0nburns
Euw, Wesley Snipes?
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It’s interesting that eligibility for this contest was based on the One Drop Rule. A person who is, say, 10% black can have pretty much any non-black phenotype that exists in the world. What’s the point of having a most “most gorgeous black man” competition if a ‘black man” can look like anything?
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Once again, the fact that some blacks are content being represented in terms of achievement (e.g. Anatole Broyard) or attractiveness (e.g. Will Demps, Dwayne Johnson) by individuals who are predominantly non-black by ancestry suggest to some that there is something seriously wrong with African blood. It’s interesting that the black Brazilians are often derided by Americans for being “self-hating” but they were the ones who objected to Abagond’s posting of conspicuously white-looking “blacks” like Adriana Lima as the representation of black Brazilian female beauty.
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i’m from god, born in jamaica
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@ Jeri
I totally agree, married though I am I still love me a gorgeous black guy so yeah, I’m enjoying this poll!
Moving on…
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@ FG
Where would you have drawn the line?
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@Mira
You’ve raised some really interesting points but I agree this may not be the ideal forum to expound on them. I respect your views totally, heck we all are different so I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with me.
By the same token I stand by what I’ve said. I think when the collective image of a group is negative (or the converse, positive, eg the ‘model Asian minority’), it does have an effect.
In my view BW cannot afford to be laidback about the wider implications of all this negative stereotyping. It’s all well and good to say ‘I don’t own so and so’ and quite rightly too- we don’t. But it may be worth taking a minute or two to think seriously about why some the men in your group act as if they hate women like you…
It’s not about getting all het up about it, it’s just about recognising who does/does not support you and tuning the non-supporters out. It’s about reciprocity.
It’s an abnormal situation because it does not exist in ANY other group. And it is happening enough (not just among celebrity men) to be noted by all.
Anyway I’m kind of done talking about this, honestly it’s not that deep to me;-)
So moving right along…
Can’t wait to seen the top 10 gorgeous men, my choice better be there, or else…lol!
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i wanted morris chestnut i see 25 peope voted for idris elba
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“Yes I am aware of true love and attraction and so forth but when a subsection of men make it clear they are not interested in women of their race, it’s odd. Especially when no other race of men does this.”
My boyfriend is Irish and has no attraction to white women what so ever. What about Robert DeNiro or Bill Maher ? Hell, one of the creators of South Park is married to a bw. Most of my hubby’s exes were Asian, Native American or Black. I don’t find any wrong with not being attracted to something. The problem cames when you’re putting others or dating someone to fit into streotypoes with that group. Trust me, white women aren’t as submissive as you think. The ones that complain about bw do this are running from their real issues. You attract what you put out. So if all you’re attracting a loud ghetto bw with no class or Mo’nique, you’re going to get a loud ghetto ww with no class or Rosanne Barr.
For the record, i’m a black women that has no attraction to most most black men. I love them as brothers and will support them if i agree with their cause, but not in that way. The same way you love being a woman, but don’t love women in that way. I believe you can love and support them without being romanticaly and sexually involved with them. Love Lenny Kravtiz because he’s a rocker and love dreadlocks. Except for Prince and Micheal Jackson, the rest are meh and are too clean. Wish Slash was up there, but oh well.
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Idris Elba is way in the lead, but as far as I can tell there are no suspicious links to the poll driving up his numbers. Also, his numbers are comparable to how many nominations he received (he clearly led the pack at that stage too).
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Wesley Snipes only got two nominations.
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FG,
Are some of the nominated men 10% black? I don’t think so. So, what seems to be the problem?
(Also, if someone is 0% black but identifies as black AND is accepted as such- he is black). <- True, these things don't happen, but it's the only way you can set these rules, since race is not a biological fact you can measure.
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Di,
Fair enough. This is not a good place for that discussion, and I certainly don’t want to make you seem like someone who’s pushing the issue. All I want to add is that yes, I do agree about the negative portrayals and the issues they bring, for the black women in particular, probably more than any other group of women.
Usagi,
Wish Slash was up there, but oh well.
I was thinking about it, because I really like the guy. But then again, I think I find him attractive more because of his music than the actual physical appearance. So I wasn’t sure if the nomination would be an ok thing to do.
I still like his work a lot, and hey, I do think he’s attractive in a way. Particularly (don’t laugh) his lower lip. It’s perfect. I mean, really, really perfect. (and it was, more or less, the only part of his face you could see circa 1992, when I first got interested in GN’R).
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Usagi,
As for the attraction and race goes, yes, I do find a bit strange when people declare they don’t find people of their own race attractive. But I also find odd when they say they don’t find people of other races attractive.
Like I said, “races” are very diverse, and you can always find individuals who fit your type in all of the races. I am not really into blonde, pale, blue eyed men… But it doesn’t mean I don’t find any white guys attractive, quite the contrary.
But I agree about the white women. I have no idea where the “submissive” stereotype came from, but it’s rubbish, as many guys who attempted to date white women for their submissiveness found out pretty quickly. Also, people in some white cultures (mine, for example), are said to be “loud”, and it goes for women, too. So no, I definitely don’t see any submissiveness here. (It all depends on the individual, of course, but you get the idea).
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@Usagi
Lately, when I think about what is attractive about a man, his looks isn’t the only think that makes me happy. I am at the point in my life where how a man treats me is extemely important!! Don’t get me wrong, I would like to be with a man thats is attractive physically, but I want him to be attractive emotionally, mentally,and spiritually as well. I want it all, I guess. So if he is black, white, Asian, whatever and he puts me on a pedestal and treats me like a queen, he is the one for me. I need intimacy, long conversations at night, romantic dinners, a tender massage, flowers. You know, a real relationship. So that is what is appealing to me. So if a man can’t give me that, his looks won’t change anything. In fact, he could be a gorgeous man, but if he doesn’t treat me the way I want to be treated, I just can’t find him attractive. I might want him in the beginning but after awhile I would probably loose interest. So, looks mean something to me but his love and kindness means more.
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@Di
I didn’t mean to come off as if how black women are treated doesn’t concern me. I agree with you in that I want whats best for black women. It is extremely important to me. But I am just at the point where I feel I can’t be overly concerned with who people sleep with or marry. People are going to do what they want to do and how I feel won’t change that so I don’t concern myself with certain issues as much as I used to. I just hope that black women will do whats best for them no matter how other people might feel. And as for black men who date interracially, I just feel that it really isn’t my business to tell people who they can be with. The only thing that bothers me when black men date/marry interracially is when they put black women down and uplift other women. That bothers me but if he is respectful and I admire his accomplishments ( like Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier), I still have love for him even though he did choose a white partner. I just want black people to treat each other respectfully and not give in to self-hate. But just because someone marries a white person doesn’t mean they hate black people. So I don’t focus on who they marry exclusively but I focus on their attitudes as well.
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@Di
Now I am not going to sound like a hypocrite. I would love for a man like Chiwetel to have married a black women. He is extremely desirable and I would love for a black women like myself(LOL) to have him so I am dissappointed. I ain’t goint to lie but I can’t get too serious about it. I don’t even know the man. Life goes on. And lets be for real, people are going to marry who they want to marry, so if I get upset everytime a black man marries or sleeps with a non-black woman, I am going to be angry for a long time!! I like peace so I can’t worry about that. Once again, what I am concerned about is his attitude towards black women. If he doesn’t berate and disrespect black women, then I can’t get too upset about it. What I hate is when black men say that black women are too loud, disrespectful, angry, mean, ugly, fat, etc. And they use this as an excuse to date non-black women exclusively. Then I get an attitude. I am tired of the negative stereotypes associated with black women. But lets be real, every black man who marries or dates non-black women is not disrespectful. I have never heard Sidney Poitier or Quincy Jones say anything horrible about black women. I don’t know how they feel deep inside their hearts but then again I can’t make assumptions neither. So I still respect and admire them. And that is how I feel about some of the men in this poll. I still have love for them. And I am really enjoying the poll. So that is how I feel about the subject. But I agree with some of the things you said I just feel that this post may not be the most appropriate post to discuss this subject.
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What about Darren Sharper and Braylon Edwards? Shoot the NFL is killing the NBA in terms of beautiful black men. Ditto Osi Umenyiora.
I am so done.
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“Where would you have drawn the line?”
Me?
Two requirements:
1) Has at least some visible African ancestry.
2) Identifies as black.
The second point is important. Does anyone know how, say, Dwayne Johnson identifies? Maybe he is more into his Samoan roots than his African ones. Of course you can say that race is determined by what “society” thinks. People will indeed classify others as they wish, but the courteous and refined will acknoweldge the self-concept of others.
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Hmm… Who’s my man-crush… First I thought about Taye Diggs, because he was in a tv program I briefly saw and he was cool and classy and has a masculine body.
But I think I go for Tyson Beckford, because he looked so cool in a pair of jeans I desperately wanted, lol. And he has the kind of exotic looks that makes him hard to place on the map of the world, lol.
Prince and MJ are great artists, but not very manly. A lot of the guys In the list I’m just not familiar with. But I’m here just for the eye candy… 😉
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@ jeri
you go girl
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“(Also, if someone is 0% black but identifies as black AND is accepted as such- he is black). <- True, these things don't happen, but it's the only way you can set these rules, since race is not a biological fact you can measure."
But do you think that it reflects a healthy self-concept for a group whose members are overwhelmingly (99%) of predominant African descent to be represented by people who are not?
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But do you think that it reflects a healthy self-concept for a group whose members are overwhelmingly (99%) of predominant African descent to be represented by people who are not?
I don’t think the concept of race itself is healthy. It’s not “real” in any measurable, “true” shape or form. Therefore, whether you look like Dolph Lundgren or Djimon Hounsou is irrelevant, as well as your ancestry (we are all Africans, aren’t we?), as long as you identify as X AND are accepted as X, you are X.
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I should have suggested Eric Holder last week. I can’t tear my eyes from photos and video of his face. Did you get any other votes for him?
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Just checking in to add…
Di says:
“BTW Chiwetel Ejiofor is also married to a WW”
Jeri says:
“I will admit I am somewhat disappointed that Chiwetel is married to a white women.”
I know his cousin (who lives in the U.S.) and I’m about 98 percent sure Chiwetel is not married. He’s dated white (and black) women, and his current girlfriend is white, but he’s not married.
“I would love for a man like Chiwetel to have married a black women.”
The way I see it is, he’ll marry either a white woman or an Igbo (black) woman. His parents wouldn’t have approved of the former, but so it goes.
—
Anyway, you all are nuts.
Djimon Hounsou is getting the same amount of votes as Barack Obama and more votes than Morris Chestnut and TJ Holmes? Djimon is so not cute. And Morris and TJ look like they were carved, instead of born. Barack looks better and better the older he gets.
Only on Abagond.
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“I don’t think the concept of race itself is healthy. It’s not “real” in any measurable, “true” shape or form. Therefore, whether you look like Dolph Lundgren or Djimon Hounsou is irrelevant, as well as your ancestry (we are all Africans, aren’t we?), as long as you identify as X AND are accepted as X, you are X.”
Well I’m glad you specified that identification with the group is required. Because some on this list may not feel that the “black” label fits their physical, cultural, and social reality.
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@Medium
Thanks sweetie!!
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@natasha w
girl whats wrong with your vision
dijmon hansu he could get this with his chocalate self
he ain’t cute just manly distinguish gentlemen, classy elegant brother
i’ll tell u who don’t belong on that list
maxwell— his hair need some grease
taye diggs—- ugly butt
ll cool j—— with his chap lips
morris and mehki—– ok
michael jackson—- too process
tyress—ok
mos def—- sexy but ok
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the rest is gorgeous
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All of the men pictured are so handsome (and talented), but I have to select only one, hunh? OK, I am choosing Chiwetel Ejiofor.
For me, it’s a tough choice between Chiwetel Ejiofor and Idris Elba, but since I’ve given Idris lots of love in the past on my own blog, I think he’ll forgive me.
So, again, I’m selecting Chiwetel Ejiofor.
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I can’t believe lance gross didn’t make it.
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Gahhhh! I finally decided on Boris Kodjoe. So many gorgeous men…so hard to choose. 😀
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The poll will close in 19 hours.
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@ FG, Dwayne identifies as Samoan. He has a large tribal tattoo covering half of his shoulders and chest. He has said he identifies as Samoan. However, I don’t think he shuns his black Canadian heritage, either. Does anyone know how, say, Dwayne Johnson identifies? Maybe he is more into his Samoan roots than his African ones.
True that it’s strange that people who are barely black can represent blacks, but look at it this way: Wentworth Miller didn’t make the cut and he’s very white-looking.
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Hey now, let’s not hate on Maxwell! He’s fine!
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It was a toss up between Maxwell and Kravitz. I guess I like artsy types rather than clean cut guys.
I love The Rock though. When I was into wrestling I had the hugest crush on him. I remember sitting through back to back Monday Night Raw just so I could see him.
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I never got the supposed allure of Mos Def; he looks like a cartoon character in the face — an elf or a leprechaun, or something. And especially so with those hats he likes to wear….
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I cannot believe Will Smith is a strong contender here, folks, I mean he is cute and funny and all but hardly dripping in SA. lol! Or Prince, he’s kinda little isnt’ he? Which is no big deal except that he’s probably sensitive about his height so wears high heels…and eye make-up. And has a perm. Quirky? Yes. Ultra-gorgeous or sexy? Umm..nope. Ditto MJ, Boris etc. More pretty than handsome. Especially post-Thriller MJ :-(..
Now Idris and Djimon are great looking men, though trust me, driving through many African streets you’ll find a fair number of brothers who look like them. But Idris has that extra something about him, a mixture of charisma and uber SA. whew!
I guess I like my men to look – and act – like men.lol!
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I just get the feeling men like Shemar Moore and Boris Kodjoe fight over the bathroom mirror every morning with their significant others. Something about those perfectly groomed brows..threading anyone? lol
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“@ FG, Dwayne identifies as Samoan. He has a large tribal tattoo covering half of his shoulders and chest. He has said he identifies as Samoan. However, I don’t think he shuns his black Canadian heritage, either. Does anyone know how, say, Dwayne Johnson identifies? Maybe he is more into his Samoan roots than his African ones.
True that it’s strange that people who are barely black can represent blacks, but look at it this way: Wentworth Miller didn’t make the cut and he’s very white-looking.”
I’m against racially stratified “beauty” lists in any case because they promote racialism. But it goes further than that. They also deny mixed people the sum of their heritage by emphasizing only one part of it (oftentimes the minority share).
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Michael before the album Thriller was extremely gorgeous to me. He may have not liked his own nose, chin etc, but I think God made him perfect just the way he was before all those surgeries. Everytime I look at an old video of him, back in the late 1970’s, I am mesmerized!!! I can’t keep my eyes off of him!!! He was so beautiful and sexy! He was definitely my type of man when it comes to a man’s looks. Now his personality may have come off a little feminine or shy, but he had the perfect look!!!
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“I just get the feeling men like Shemar Moore and Boris Kodjoe fight over the bathroom mirror every morning with their significant others.”
And you forgot JZ — Just think of how much time he spends primping in front of the mirror!
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Here is another Michael Jackson video when he was oh so fine!!!
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Pause….once again, press “Watch on Youtube”, (you may have to allow for temporary prop-ups), then press “Watch on Youtube” again. A screen from Youtube will appear!
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As much as I love MJ and his music I cant vote him Most Beautiful Black Man. He was cute before his, er “transformation”, but he fcked his face up so much that I just cant think of him as sexy.
I just cant.
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Llama,
Get out o my head! Kravitz and Maxwell have a similar look, IMO. It must be the hair and button down shirts exposing chest hairs.
Also, I loved The Rock in his wrestling days, and still do. I had a crush on him when I used to watch wrestling. I was still a little kid so I didnt know it was a “crush” back then, lol.
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If I had more than one vote, (like 10 votes!!), I would say that all these men have got it going on!
Barack Obama (Him and John Kennedy are two of the finest presidents we have ever had)
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Denzel Washington (when he was much younger)
Michael Ealy( why didn’t he get alot of votes, he is fine!!)
Michael Jackson ( of course, when he was much younger)
Tyrese Gibson ( I love his smile and swagger)
Blair Underwood (Absolutely perfect!!)
Bob Marley ( when he was younger and his hair was shorter, without the locks)
Here is a picture of Bob Marely on his “Catch a fire album”
http://music.aol.com/album/catch-a-fire/81160
The rest of the guys are alright!!!
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I agree Y, MJ was a good looking guy but obviously hated himself so much he ruined every beautiful feature – he may have seen his wider nose, darker skin and kinkier hair as ugly but many (me included) simply saw a good looking black guy.
Sorry but in my view a healthy self-esteem (with the confident, non-arrogant swagger it induces) are part and parcel of the total package. Maybe it’s an age thing (lol) but it has to be more than just looks.
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@ FG:
Why must someone who is mixed identify only as black? Cannot Dwayne Johnson be both black and Samoan?
The problem with trying to draw arbitrary lines here is that with a category like “black”, at least in the American context, there are going to be degrees of mixing in most cases.
If Dwayne Johnson is not black, then why is Boris Kodjoe (half-German), Maxwell (half-Puerto Rican) or Lenny Kravitz (half-Jewish)?
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“Why must someone who is mixed identify only as black? Cannot Dwayne Johnson be both black and Samoan?
The problem with trying to draw arbitrary lines here is that with a category like “black”, at least in the American context, there are going to be degrees of mixing in most cases.
If Dwayne Johnson is not black, then why is Boris Kodjoe (half-German), Maxwell (half-Puerto Rican) or Lenny Kravitz (half-Jewish)?”
Well as you know I’m against the idea that part-African mixed people MUST identify as black, though they should be able to if that fits their circumstances. All of those guys should be able to identify as they see fit, though I was just using Johnson as the example. BTW, Puerto Ricans and blacks are not discrete groups. Some Puerto Ricans are visually black and the vast majority of them have African admixture.
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But it is important to note that there are “degrees of mixing.” The term “biracial” has been used to describe everyone from Obama to Wentworth Miller, so there is great variability in ancestry and physical appearance among this group. Some have tried to argue that since people like Obama identify as black, that means ALL biracials should be labeled as such. But this is nonsensical because many of the mixed people are ambiguous-looking or more closely resemble their non-black (or mixed-with-black) parent, so black identity makes much less sense for them.
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The attempts by “one drop” advocates to classify the very ambiguous or non-black looking biracials as soley black has caused a great deal of tension. The middle range people like Obama don’t seem to have much of problem with it for the most part, but it seems as though the psychological burden of hypodescent increases the further from the stereotypical “black” appearance you are. I started commenting here after reading many distressed comments from multiracials about it on other forums.
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I am letting the poll run a bit longer since there are still too many ties.
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Still few votes for Michael Ealy? What is wrong with you people?!! I wish I had more than one vote!! I would have voted for Michael Ealy also. Oh well.
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Okay, I admit, Michael had some problems but his insecurities may have occured as a result of his skin disease problem. I read somewhere that his autospy revealed that he really did have the skin disease vitiligo. Alot of people didn’t believe him when he said he had the disease. They assumed he was lying to cover the fact that he was ashamed of his color. But I believe it is possible he was telling the truth, especially now that his autospy proved that it was true. Maybe that disease caused Michael to be extremely self-conscious about his appearance causing him to be addicted to plastic surgery. I also heard that his father made alot of rude comments to him about his wide nose. That couldn’t have been easy for a young man to go through. It is unfortunate that he didn’t have people around him to tell him that he was beautiful, wide nose and all. I grew up listening to Michael and I remember just how magnificent he really was. So I still say he was one of the most gorgeous men that ever stood foot on this planet. It is just so sad that Michael didn’t know it.
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Oh yeah, I am talking about Michael Jackson by the way. Not Michael Ealy. I am sure that is obvious to most of you.
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@FG
What do you consider biracial? Most African-Americans have some white ancestry. I think the average African-American is around 20% white. But most of us were brought up to see ourselves as black and black alone. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had some white ancestry myself considering that my father is lightskinned, but I have always identified with black people all over the world even those in far-away places, such as the pymies from the Phillipines, the blacks in Papua New Guinea, the blacks from the Figi and other Pacific islands (they call them Melanesian), and even the Aboriginals of Austalia. The blacks from these places sometimes experience racism as resulf of their color so I identify with them as well, although that might seem strange. Most American blacks ( and some whites and Asians) are mixed genetically. But it is how you were brought up that really matters to most people. And it is the culture that you identify with that really decides who you are. And some biracials identify mostly with blacks because people seem them as black and black alone. Now if you are talking about those biracials who have a black and non-black parent, I can see where you are coming from because many of these people identify strongly with their non-black parent, but if you are talking about those who are mixed genetically, where culture and the one drop rule is a strong determinant for how you see yourself, then I don’t entirely agree with you because most of us are mixed yet we still see ourselves as black.
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@FG
For instance, Stacy Lattisaw, Terrence Howard, Beyonce, Vanessa Williams, and Will Smith are all lightskinned and have two African American parents. More than likely one or both of their parents are mixed with white ancestry but they were probably brougt up in the African-American community and probably have identified with that community all their lives. Yet they are mixed to some extent. These type of people are extremely common in the African American community. There are lightskinned people all over the place. And most of us have lightskinned people in our families. Yet they are just plain old ordinary black folk to most of us. And because lightskinned people are so common in the African community, when we see people like Barack Obama, Halle Berry, Lenny Kravitz, or Tamia (people who have a black and non-black parent) we see them as black people because we are so used to seeing lightskinned people as black. These people may or may not see themselves as black but we see them as black because we have been taught to think this way for decades( if not centuries). Now who should be considered biracial? Just those who have a black or non-black parent, or those who are lightskinned, or those who have recent white ancestry? Or does it depend on the individual him/herself and how he/she sees themselves?
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@FG
Now I have to admitt. I like the fact that we consider ourselves black no matter what percentage of black ancestry we have. This type of thinking keeps us united and allows us to relate to each other as family, friends and community members. I don’t want that to change to be honest with you. For me, a person of African ancestry is my brother or sister regardless of their skin color. So the “one drop rule” works for me. Because of this rule, people like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Medgar Evers, Frederick Douglas, and W. E. Dubois, despite their differences in appearances and skin colors, fought against racism and stood up for black people. We are stronger as a people with the “one drop rule” . So black is black to me rather you are all black or mixed.
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@Jeri,
Yes, people are free to personally classify others as they wish. That’s all well and good. And I don’t think any part-black mixed people consider themselves socially separated from blacks, at least not relatives. I think what’s causing alot of antagonism these days are attempts to stigmatize and belittle mixed people who choose to identify with their non-African heritage. Some try to portray multiracials as fraudulent members of whatever ethnicity they join. AND THAT’S WRONG.
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And there does seem to be a strong antipathy towards mixed people in some quarters. I think there is a desire to deny mixed people a sense of rootedness and social standing. How would it feel if I started calling you simply “white” based on your light skinned dad and dismissed all of your social and cultural connections to black society? I’m betting you wouldn’t like it because it invalidates the bulk of your heritage. That’s the feeling alot of mixed people have when others apply the One Drop Rule to them.
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@FG
So you believe that a person who is mixed, should be able to call him/herself white? I am kind of confused.
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Well some mixed people are so integrated into white society that they decide to do just that. And I approve of that. Others decide to call themselves mixed or some variant of that term. That should also be acceptable.
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@FG
I understand what you are saying, I think. You believe that they should be able to identify with all of their ancestry, not just one. Well, okay. I don’t have a problem with that but why do you think it is strange for us to consider mixed people in this poll when these mixed people do have black in them? What is so wrong with that? You say it is not fair to use “the one drop rule” but they do have black in them, right? So, not to include them would be like rejecting them because they are not pure black and what I said earlier is that most African-Americans are mixed with something else. So all I was saying is that a person’s mixed heritage shouldn’t keep us from embracing them as one of us. If you want to call yourself mixed or black, it doesn’t matter to me because I still consider you a part of my community. What is wrong with that?
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@Fg
I just read your last comment a minute ago. Well, if a mixed person wants to call himself white, that is their perogative. For instance, if that person looks white and has identified with being white his/her whole life, then I guess it would make sense that he or she would call him/herself white. But if a person looks black, wouldn’t it be strange to call him/ herself white when the person doesn’t look white? What is wrong with being mixed or just plain old black?
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@Jeri & FG
That’s a funky question. My dad is white and my siblings and I always identified as mixed-we never used biracial. We would be comfortable entering into a contest that said ‘black or African-American’ because we look like what we are, mixed.
My children, as well as my middle sisters’ could not enter the same contest because they would have a problem being taken seriously: they are considered as white and self identify as white, albeit with a mixed parent. Would any contest that is aimed at African-Americans allow a blonde haired, green eyed blonde or someone who looks more like a Korean/white guy then anything else, into it?
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Yeah, I can’t write. That was “a green-eyed, blonde”.
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@Marci
Good question. Well Vanessa Williams has lighteyes and light colored hair but I wouldn’t have a problem with her being in a poll about African American people. If the person doesn’t look black at all, I think I still wouldn’t have a problem with it. I think I would have a problem with a poll that doesn’t have alot of variety in it. Like all the people have to be darkskinned or all the people have to be lightskinned or mixed. I like the fact that there is alot of variety in this poll. It allows everybody to feel included.
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You’re a better person then I am, Jeri. I like variety too, but want them to show some black features at least.
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@Marci
Well, like you, I come from an interesting family. My mother is lightskinned and my mom is dark. My father had four brothers of various colors. One of his brothers had a white father. My lightskinned dad, after divorcing my mother, married an even lighter skinned women from Canada, who had grey eyes and freckles. Her mom looked exactly like a white woman although she was black. Her dad had kinky blonde hair and green eyes. He was black ( or mixed, however you want to call it) as well. I spent alot of time with my step-mother’s family. My brothers are lightskinned with light eyes. My mother married a man of black and Native-American ancestry. My uncle that I relate to the most is darkskinned and quite proud of it. Both my great-grand fathers from boths sides of my family were mixed race. My paternal great-grand father was a mixed race man of Canadian ancestry. One of my great-grandmothers was mixed as well. My family looks like a rainbow tribe. All kinds of colors and hair-textures. I guess I relate to all kinds of people. I agree it would be nice if they look at least black in the poll, but I wouldn’t be too offended if they were some very lightskinned people because so many African Americans are lightskinned.
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@Marci
Can they be able to pass for white? I don’t care. But I won’t lie. If most of the people in the poll could pass for white, I think that would be ridiculous. But if it was just a few people ( like 5 to 10 percent), I wouldn’t care. I like variety in men. The thing I like about our race is that you can find all kinds of men whether they be very light or very dark. And enjoy them all!!!
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@Jeri. It wouldn’t be realistic to have someone who looks like Wentworth Miller representing black men. Vanessa Williams, while she does have a white face and lighter features, doesn’t look white. She looks biracial at best. Miller, however, looks white, as does Earth Kitt’s daughter, and Pat Cleveland’s daughter. Having them in the competition would be weird.
Look at Cleveland’s daughter: http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&biw=850&bih=403&gbv=2&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=pat+cleveland+daughter&aq=3&aqi=g4&aql=&oq=pat+cle
Well Vanessa Williams has lighteyes and light colored hair but I wouldn’t have a problem with her being in a poll about African American people. If the person doesn’t look black at all, I think I still wouldn’t have a problem with it. I
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@Marci
Now I remember once I was looking at a video that paid tribute to beautiful women from Ghana. It was on youtube. Well, 50 percent of the women in the video were clearly mixed. And no I am not talking about lightskinned neither. Alot of Africans are lightskinned but these women looked way more white than black. Now I don’t know a whole lot about Ghana. I have never been to Ghana. But from what I can assume about the country, is that the vast majority of the women are not mixed. Maybe 1% at best. Yet here is this “tribute” with all these clearly mixed women. Well, I thought that was a strange tribute because it did not accurately represent women from Ghana. Out of the 25 women I saw, if there were 2 mixed race women, then that would be one thing. But there were at least 12 or 13 women. I just didn’t think that was a good tribute. Now in the United States, 1/3 or 1 /4 of all black men would be considered lightskinned. So having a poll with alot of variety isn’t a bad thing to me, even if 1 or 2 of the men were extremely light, like Wentworth Miller or The Rock. And I am assuming that alot of the people who have voted in this poll are from the United States. We are used to alot of variety, so I expected to see alot of different types of men.
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@Mel
Well, if just one of the men looked like Wentworth Miller out of the 30 men represented, then it wouldn’t bother me. I would feel the same if the poll was about gorgeous black women. Adriana Lima is mixed and she looks white. If she was in the poll, I would not have a problem because it would be just 1 women out of 30 women. But if there were several women who looked like her in the poll, then I wouldn’t think the poll accurately represented black women. I will say this, if there were several men who looked like Wentworth Miller in the poll, then I would have a serious problem with it. But just one guy? I guess we all feel differently about the subject. I respect your opinion. I don’t want to sound insensitive or indifferent. I am just use to the one drop rule I guess, when it pertains to black people.
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Lets say if Mariah Carey was in the poll, how would you feel? I am curious as to how people would answer the question.
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When you say it that way Jeri, I feel more petty then anything. It really is perception I guess. I look at Mariah Carey and ‘see’ her as black because she proclaims herself more black than anything else and the public has her pegged as black and I have family members that look like her also and the mix in their background is further back then mine. I guess I prefer a Mariah mixed, rather than a Nicole Ritchie mix, if that makes sense.
Thanks for making me think.
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To take a phenotypically mixed man, or even a man who may actually look anything but Black, and nominate him as “The most gorgeous BLACK man in the world” would seem to be a slap in the face to men who actually look Black (without regards to genotype).
It’s nice to be inclusive and everything but I know a lot of Black women are very unhappy having “mixed-looking” women representing the beauty of Black women, and for me this contest for Black men is no different.
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Mel, Pat Cleveland’s daughter looks mixed to me, definitely not ‘white’. Her daughter, Anna, looks white. This is funny because they look very much alike in features.
This conversation has made me look up Pat Cleveland, etc. Seeing, and hearing about, other interracial families is pretty cool. When I was growing up we were an anomaly.
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@BlueParfum
Well this black woman isn’t offended if mixed or lightskinned black women are included. HOW much included is the question. Lets say a man decided to make a list of 25 black women that he thought was beautiful. And 80 percent of them were mixed or extremely lightskinned. I could see some black women being offended but lets say that only 20 percent were mixed or lightskinned. I wouldn’t be offended because there are many black women who are lightskinned, mixed, or both. So what is the big deal?
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peace out
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@Jeri,
Well you have the right to put whoever you want on your lists. Just keep in mind though that mixed people, especially “first generation” ones, tend to come from very complex social and cultural backgrounds. They have relatives of a non-black “race.” Oftentimes their primary caretaker (usually the mom) is not black. So in many cases they will not be inclined to see themselves as simply “black” just based on their social background. You have the right to apply your arbitrary constructions to them in a respectful manner, but they also have a right to define themselves in the way they see fit.
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@Fg
I don’t know alot of biracial people who have a black and non-black parent, just a few. But I think that most of them consider themselves mixed, both black and non-black. And many of them I’m sure are concerned about issues that relate to black people. My uncle was bi-racial (his father was white) and he went out of his way to affiliate himself with African-American causes. I guess you could call him a revolutionist. Biracial people are diverse. Some are concerned with issues that pertain to black people and some don’t. Halle Berry’s mother was white but she raised her daughter to feel proud of her African-American heritage. So you can’t put all of them in one category. Which is why I don’t go out of my way to exclude them all.
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@Jeri,
Well there are other “causes” out there other than “African American” ones. Mixed people can also embrace a generic civic nationalism (Obama’s schtick). Some mixed people aren’t half white but are descended from “people of color” on both sides. For example, the Thais (Tiger Wood’s folks) aren’t exactly the richest people on earth. Nor are the Samoans. They could probably use some help. There are plenty who are already working on “issues that pertain to black people.”
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@Fg
Look, can’t mixed people take an interest in more than one cause? Why do they have to be restricted? You know, I realize that this topic is a sensitive one for many people. Alot of people are tired of being compared with mixed people as if there is something wrong with being darkskinned or something. So no biggie. I won’t discuss it anymore. It is just that when I have seen mixed people on “the most beautiful black women” list, it didn’t bother me. Now if everyone on the list was mixed, then I would have a problem. But if most the women were darker, then I was okay with it. I guess I feel that way because our race consist of so many different types of people, from very dark to very light. And like I mentioned before, I like to feel that everyone is included. But no problem. I am done with this topic. Moving on.
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The ties have all been broken:
THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED!!!
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Idris Elba all the way. Very handsome man and his British accent just tops it off.
Other guys who should have made the shortlist –
Hill Harper
Grant Hill
The Old Spice guy
Shemar Moore
Willy Monfret
Lance Gross
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Trey Songz too. Extremely handsome.
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I find it disturbing that some people are now claiming that black people who are light skinned are very likely to be mixed. This is very untrue. Someone claimed that most Afro-Americans are mixed. This is not true. When did the ‘mixing’ take place? We have forgotten what the rules were even late into the 1960s.
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shemar moore we even have the same birthday<3
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Iris Elba is the hottest by far!
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