American lawyer and TV host Eboni K. Williams wants young Black women to consider the prospects of pursuing marriage and higher education at the same time.
Williams made the call while sharing her opinion on a raging issue on IG about how White women “go to college to secure that ‘ring by spring,’ but that isn’t something that is usually on a Black woman’s agenda when attending college.”
TheGrio kickstarted the conversation after it shared a video on Instagram featuring the lawyer and “Real Housewives of New York City” alum weighing in on TikTok’s summer trend — getting the “MRS degree.”
In that trend, college-age women shared how they tackled a degree and a marriage proposal. Many of the TikTok clips show women in their caps and gowns flashing sparkly diamonds on their left-hand ring fingers.
For Williams, it’s a good idea for Black women to include getting hitched to their higher education goals.
“The reality that needs to be said out loud is that as Black men age, their desirability increases. Thus their optionality of women is always expanding,” the talk show host said. “And the exact opposite is true for Black women.”
Her advise was firm, and to the point:
“If you are a young Black woman in college and you know in your heart and in your head that you want to prioritize family, I suggest that you simultaneously pursue that MRS degree right along with that BA or JD. Because the handful of Black college-age men that actually do desire to get married soon — and they do share that value system, and family is a priority for them — to y’all that is an incredibly small pool and it’s shrinking as you get older.”
Not everyone agrees with her call though. On social media, the reactions were varied.
On X, formerly Twitter, Tressa Eleby felt Williams was rushing young Black women.
“There should be no rush to marriage. I honestly feel the sooner you do that in life, the sooner you get divorced. Know who you are FIRST.”
But @thugxxpassion wrote felt Willams is on point.
“I don’t think it’s a bad suggestion,” the netizen wrote, adding: “Idk how many men in that age frame are actually ready to get married. As a 31-year-old old I feel like I meet a lot of men that are Older and still not ready .. and I don’t think you know yourself as well at that age.”
