“Insecure” star Issa Rae published a memoir three years ago that began getting some renewed attention Sunday for a chapter about black women and Asian men dating.
The best-seller, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girls” — which Rae wrote before rocketing to fame on her HBO series — includes a passage that proposes “black women and Asian men join forces in love, marriage, and procreation. Educated black women, what better intellectual match for you than an Asian man?”
For context, here are pictures one fan tweeted of the book’s intro and the section that has fans both attacking and defending Rae on Twitter:
On Issa Rae.
Because context matters. And because I read her book. And because I taught her book.
The first pic is the intro to the book, which I’ll come back to. 2-4 are the whole section that’s been shared. pic.twitter.com/jffPNI5L1W
— He’s a Good Man, Savannah (@DrRondreaMathis) April 30, 2018
The reactions to Rae’s suggestion are mixed, with some members of the black community voicing outrage at the proposal and others pointing to hypocrisy in any criticism of Rae.
“Issa Rae told the educated black women to get them an Asian man,” one user tweeted. “I want to be mad but I see the countless tweets of black men telling black women that they unattractive and undeserving. So…”
“An influential black woman (Issa rae) is telling black women to procreate with Asian men because they will intellectually suit black women in her book…. Christ what have we done as black men to be sh—ed on like this?” another wrote.
Representatives for Rae did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment Monday about the criticism and support the actress is facing.
See some of the tweets with reactions to Rae’s chapter below.
https://twitter.com/PKPhyre85/status/990764755441868800
https://twitter.com/RealBeardedDre/status/990730137330225152
https://twitter.com/InTheDarkIShine/status/990786099621527552
https://twitter.com/persephonevibe/status/990752101356724224
I say if a black man said what Issa Rae said y’all would flip. Coming in my mentions telling me that black men do it too is showing how y’all would rather deflect Instead of admitting she was wrong
— Domonique (@ChefDomonique) April 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/cherryfizzcamo/status/990757454974681089
https://twitter.com/216Champ2/status/990790806641479680
https://twitter.com/TommyDreamer___/status/990715072359133184
https://twitter.com/PorshaAMOR/status/990778345628487686
Issa Rae said educated black women should date Asian and black twitter is divided. What happened to Wakanda forever? Where did that energy go?? pic.twitter.com/IQhTgADqM0
— Kervv ? (@_kervj) April 30, 2018