While the jury is out on whether love is truly blind for couples in season six of the Netflix reality series, one thing has become clear: love can’t be color-blind. In the “Love Is Blind” pods this season, Kenneth, a Black man, and Brittney, a white woman, fall in love and quickly shape up to be a couple we’re all rooting for. They immediately align on their values, exhibit great chemistry when they meet in real life, and have nothing but positive things to say about each other.
During a party on the group’s honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, AD, a Black woman contestant, and Kenneth chat about his interracial relationship. “When y’all get married, she’s gonna have to raise Black children,” AD says. “Are you confident that she can raise Black children?” Kenneth admits that the question is “definitely making [him] think,” but he expresses confidence in his future with Brittney. He thoughtfully adds: “I’m very much pro-Black, and I don’t lose sight of what we have had to overcome, what society still perceives that we can do and achieve.” AD responds, “You can date white and be pro-Black; those two things can exist.”
Viewers have since argued over whether it was appropriate for AD to initiate this talk with Kenneth. I found it not only completely necessary, but also intriguing to get a glimpse of a real, nuanced conversation on screen. I didn’t view AD’s question as an attack on Brittney or white women in general – it simply highlighted the reality of race in America, as well as the fact that most contestants enter this experiment with the intention of having kids with their chosen partner.
Brittney and Kenneth briefly discuss race in the pods and establish that their respective racial backgrounds will not be an issue with each other or their families. Kenneth touches on how he’s only ever dated Black women but says he has an open mind. But it doesn’t seem like much else is discussed, and in fact, Brittney, while I’m sure she meant well, implies that she doesn’t see race. “I see Ken first for who he is on the inside and how much his soul is worth,” she says prior to their big reveal. “The color of my skin does not matter; the color of my partner’s skin does not matter.”
While race may “not matter” between the two, they and their future children will exist in a world where race always matters.
Considering Brittney’s perspective on race – which seems to ignore the reality of racism in America and the lived experiences of people of color – it’s even more important that she and Kenneth have discussions about these complex racial dynamics and, more specifically, how they will raise their future biracial kids. The truth is, while race may “not matter” between the two, they and their future children will exist in a world where race always matters. In an interracial relationship, having these conversations is simply responsible – it’s important that Brittney is able to take steps toward understanding how her future kids might perceive their race, as well as how others will perceive their race.
It was refreshing to see AD and Kenneth normalize this type of topic, and hopefully, in turn, we’ll see Brittney and Kenneth continue these conversations as they move forward in their relationship. I’m rooting for them! While I’m certainly invested in the drama this season, I’m just as interested in the way the cast navigates real-life issues when it comes to dating and marriage, like race, religion, and politics.
It’s worth noting race was top of mind in Lauren and Cameron’s fan-favorite relationship in season one. Lauren, a Black woman, and Cameron, a white man, consistently had candid, thoughtful race-related conversations with each other and their families – so much so that the couple have since spoken out about how it was “frustrating” how often they were prompted to speak about their race.
Since then, the series has shied away from tackling these issues head on. Although Nancy and Bartise memorably had an honest discussion about abortion and reproductive rights in season four, politics and race rarely make it to the final cut of the show – despite the unspoken colorism viewers have noticed in previous seasons. As we saw in season five, unnecessary side plots and drama have often taken center stage instead. Season six is off to a strong start, so here’s hoping it finds a happy medium – one that normalizes and highlights real-world obstacles while giving viewers plenty to meme about.
