Tika Sumpter has a message for interracial couples who may be avoiding the topic of race. The actress, who is engaged to a white man, posted to Twitter on Friday to encourage Black partners to speak up.
"They need to continue to fight for us," she wrote. "If they get offended when you talk about racists. You have a bigger problem on your hands."
Dear Black interracial couples with a significant other who is white (raises hand), we DO NOT need to protect them. I promise, they will be A. OK. They need to continue to fight for us. If they get offended when you talk about racists. You have a bigger problem on your hands.
— Tika Sumpter (@iamtikasumpter) June 5, 2020
Many social media users chimed in to the conversation and agreed with the actress, explaining why it's important to talk about race, especially if you're in an interracial relationship.
The world coddles white people. We even tell them watered down versions of our experience with racism because they’ve been so conditioned to be racist, we know they wouldn’t otherwise listen.
— Oki Som (@oki_som) June 5, 2020
As some people described it, a white spouse who doesn't want to talk about race is simply racist.
If you are in an interracial relationship, as I am also and the white member of the relationship gets offended when you speak on race…. then you are in a relationship with a racist.
— Themidlandhuuman (@Themidlandhuum1) June 5, 2020
At the same time, one person said it's also a bad look when a Black spouse is afraid to bring up the topic.
The fact that this needs to be said! And if you (the black person in the relationship) have a problem with talking about racists because you don't want to offend your non black SO, you have TWO BIG PROBLEMS ON YOUR HANDS
— The first of her name (@cdnscotchbonnet) June 5, 2020
Some white spouses in the conversation came forward to encourage others to speak up.
Seriously, if a white spouse (like me) can't admit our white fragility and privilege, who will? We have to take on these uncomfortable conversations with other white people ASAP!
— Lisa Duncanson (@lisaduncanson) June 6, 2020
At the end of the day, Black spouses want to be able to come home after work and vent to their white partners about whatever they might have experienced.
Of course not! I always say, if you can’t come home at the end of a long day and freely complain to your spouse about white ppl, you should not marry that person. My husband’s whiteness is his to dismantle — that is not my job ????????♀️
— Secret Social Distancer (@secretsocio5) June 5, 2020
One person pointed out how white people are constantly coddled.
The world coddles white people. We even tell them watered down versions of our experience with racism because they’ve been so conditioned to be racist, we know they wouldn’t otherwise listen.
— Oki Som (@oki_som) June 5, 2020
Sumpter is used to talking about her relationship publicly. In 2018, the actress responded to trolls who criticized her interracial relationship. According to AmoMama, trolls called the actress a "bedwench" while posting a picture of a man who isn't her partner.
The actress responded with a photo of her fiancé and told them to do better.
Nope. Fixed it. PS. The kid in pic looks super sweet. Do better. pic.twitter.com/FimeNbcQMc
— Tika Sumpter (@iamtikasumpter) October 9, 2018
The Mixed-ish actress also sat down for an interview on The Real in February and talked about facing haters online. Sumpter said many people date outside of their race, but the criticism especially follows Black women.
"I think they have a problem when it comes to Black women having interracial relationships," she said.
In the end, the actress just wants people to mind their own business.
"You don't have to lay in my bed, you don't have to eat our food, you don't have to live in my house, so I hope you enjoy your best life," she said.
As one of the stars of Mixed-ish, the actress talked about the Black perspective she brings to the show.
"What they wanted to bring was a dark-skinned perspective, a dark-skinned Black woman," Sumpter said in her interview on The Real. "Sometimes as a Black woman you can be frustrated about a lot of things, but I think this is a very cool way to learn about different perspectives in a very different way."
