Photo: Photononstop RF
A contestant on "Pop the Balloon," a hit YouTube dating series, is going viral after she checked a Black man who said he preferred women with "long hair."
The "Pop the Balloon" YouTube show, hosted by Arlette Amuli, highlights one suitor's journey to finding a romantic connection with a panel of daters. Based on relationship questions and conversations during the show, each panelist has a chance to pop their balloon if they feel like they wouldn't be a match for the suitor.
In a now-viral clip from a recent episode, one woman quickly popped her balloon after a male suitor revealed his "long hair" preference. The contestant checked the suitor's comments about hair as he attempted to connect with a panel of Black women.
“You’re attractive, you got it going on, but that comment about hair…I know your mama got short hair too; she’s Black. At the end of the day, you don’t know what to expect with our hair," the woman said when asked why she popped her balloon. "We can wear it straight, we can wear it curly,”
“If you can’t grow up from your roots, you can’t grow up with me," she added.
The suitor attempted to defend his comments, saying his mom "doesn't have short hair."
“It doesn’t matter; it’s about who you are as a brother. Hair doesn’t make your personality, you dig me? It’s about who you are," the contestant responded.
The male suitor accused the woman of getting "triggered" by his "preference."
“First of all, I never said the hairstyle she had was not good,” he said before the woman interjected to check him.
“You said you only like girls with long hair, That’s not right. You should have never said that at all," the panelist said, adding he should've simply said “you just weren’t my type” rather than dismissing her because of her hair length.
“Her hairstyle, it’s nothing wrong with it, so it’s my preference, right? So, if I'm here to date, I’m here to find someone for me," the man said.
“I’m not here to find you! I’m here to find someone who is going to accept me, flaws and all," the woman concluded their conversation. “Know what you say before you speak to Black women.”
Social media users applauded the panelist for checking the suitor's hair comments.
"Your 'preference' is anti-black," one TikTok user said of the suitor. "She’s not triggered, she’s standing on business."
"Sisterhood is proud of you," another user wrote.
"I understood every word she said. Idk how he didn’t! To have a black mom , a black daughter , you know one boundary is a black woman’s hair. You can tell he don’t date our race anyway," a third person commented.
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