CONTRARY to popular belief, Black men are generally faithful to their wives and lovers, are ready and willing to tackle their share of domestic duties, actually read books, use computers, do not lust only after light-skinned women, and do not seem to be obsessed with sex.

On the subject of sex, for example, our readers said they were not nearly as active as the mythology would indicate. In fact, one out of every three of our survey respondents said they had sex seldom or twice a month, compared with the 37.4 percent who said they had sex several times a week or more.

Similarly, our readers contradicted the notion that skin color plays an important role when Black men are considering whom to date or marry. More than 75 percent of the men in our survey say that skin color does not matter to them at all when assessing a woman’s attractiveness. Nearly 80 percent say they would never discount a woman as a potential mate based on whether she was too light or too dark.

But the Brothers also confess that they’re willing to cross the racial divide in search of romance. More than 65 percent have dated a woman of another race, and 73 percent say they are open to the possibility.

One reason for this may be the somewhat mixed perception these men have of Black women. About one-third say a supportive Black woman is hard to find. Just over 43 percent said that the behavior of some of their peers has made it difficult for Black women to be supportive of Black men. But more than half (52.2 percent) think Black women are only looking for men with money and status.

We also learned from our readers that Black men are basically monogamous. More than half (53.5 percent) said they had never been unfaithful to their mate, though 37 percent admitted that they had strayed from their marriages or relationships.

They were evenly split on the subject of romantic satisfaction. Although 46 percent said they were happy with the state of their marriage or relationship, 49 percent said they were unhappy. Surprisingly, only 18 percent said that more sex was the topic for a better marriage or relationship, compared with 25 percent who said more time with their partner would improve their marital or romantic relations.

And while two-thirds of the respondents described themselves as being somewhat sexually experimental, these guys are far from being an oversexed lot. Only 37 percent of them said they have sex several times a week, while 21 percent said they seldom had sex at all. They were almost evenly divided on the topic of premarital relations, with nearly 40 percent saying they would marry a woman with whom they’d not been intimate and 41 percent saying they would not.

Stats
Are you happy with the state of your marriage or romantic relationship?
a. Yes 46% b. No 49%

Do you think Black women are only looking for Brothers with money & status?
a. Yes 52.2% b. No 46.2%

What physical qualities attract you to a woman when you first meet her?
a. Overall figure 41.8%
b. Legs 9.1%
c. Bust 5.3%
d. Long hair 5.3%
e. Eyes 8%
f. Overall grooming 56.9%

Which qualities are most important to you in assessing a woman’s date/mate potential?
a. Physical appearance 73.3%
b. Independence 76.1%
c. Intelligence 21.7%
d. Occupation/income 46.5%
e. Honesty and integrity 55.7%
f. Sense of humor 82.1%
g. Spirituality 61.6%

In assessing a woman’s attractiveness, is skin color a consideration for you?
a. Yes 23.3% b. No 75.2%

Would you or have you ever not considered a woman as a potential mate because she was:
a. Too light 7.9%
b. Too dark 11.9%
c. Skin color doesn’t matter 78.6%

If you are single, would you ever consider marrying a woman with whom you have not been intimate?
a. Yes 39.9% b. No 41.2% A shock to me

How often do you have sex?
a. Every day 4.1%
b. Several times a week 37.4%
c. Once a week 18.2%
d. Twice a month 14.8%
e. I seldom have sex 21.1%

Who usually initiates sex?
a. I do 76.4 %
b. My partner does 18.6%

Sexually, how would you describe yourself?
a. Conservative 14.2%
b. Experimental and explorative 47.5%
c. Occasionally experimental 35.8%

If you are unmarried and sexually active, how would you describe your use of condoms.
a. I always use a condom 24.8 %
b. I frequently use a condom 10.7%
c. I sometimes use a condom 17%
d. I never use a condom 15.7%

If you are married or in a long-term relationship, have you ever been unfaithful to your mate?
a. Yes 36.5% b. No 53.5%

Do you or have you ever dated a woman of another race?
a. Yes 65.4% b. No 33.3%

Would you date a woman of another race?
a. Yes 73% b. No 22%

Does it concern you when successful Black women date and marry men of another race?
a. Yes 34.3% b. No 63.5%

Other than a relative or someone you know personally, which African-American man do you admire most?
a. Johnnie Cochran 12.9%
b. Bill Cosby 27.4%
c. The Rev. Jesse Jackson 11.3%
d. Earvin (Magic) Johnson 2.2%
e. Michael Jordan 11.3%
f. Kweisi Mfume 5.3%
g. Chris Rock 1.3%
h. Dr. David Satcher .6%
i. Will Smith 2.8%
j. Other 2.8%

Other than a relative or some one you know personally, which African-American woman do you admire most?
a. Maya Angelou 22.6%
b. Halle Berry 8.8%
c. Marian Wright Edelman 11.3%
d. Whitney Houston 3.1%
e. Terry McMillan 1.6%
f. Iyanla Vanzant 2.8%
g. MaxineWaters 10.4%
h. Oprah Winfrey 22.3%
i. Vanessa L. Williams 6.3%
j. Other 15.4%

COPYRIGHT 2000 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

~Mission accomplished