Despite belonging to the two groups that suffer the most from sexual racism, according to experts(?) on sexual racism, The Daily Show correspondents Jessica Williams and Ronny Chieng were not believers. At least that was the premise for their segment on sexual racism, the phenomenon that is apparently really screwing over black women and Asian men on Tinder and other dating apps and websites.
"Minorities that are having trouble getting laid are blaming their lack of game on sexual racism," Williams says at the start of the segment, before sitting down with Zach Stafford, who says, according to Williams, that "most people trying to smash on online dating platforms are sexually racist." He's talking about those people who swipe left on people because of their race.
Williams and Chieng at first defend the sexually racist, saying it's not really "a thing" it's "just a preference" for who you're attracted to, but by the end of the segment, they've changed their minds, thanks to a group of people of color who explain the ridiculous things people have messaged them on dating apps, including a black woman who says she's been told she's pretty, "for a black girl." Even one of the founders of OKCupid explained that based on the data, "everybody, collectively, is rating black women and Asian men poorly."
So what's the deal? Isn't it just a preference?
"The media tells us what we think is beautiful. When you live in a world that only shows white people being happy and in love and successful, you're gonna want that. And that's kind of what fuels your dating desires, and sexual racism, really," Stafford said.
But how can it be fixed?
"... treat people like individuals," Williams offers, before backtracking. "Hmm, I don't think that's ever gonna work."
