A Bay Area mother is facing intense backlash after a viral TikTok video in which she said she would not allow her Black son to date Black girls, citing what she called “disgusting” behavior she witnessed at a California theme park.
In her original post, shared under the username @ricathablackbarbie, the woman described being disturbed by a group of young Black girls she said were “running amok” and “acting out” at Six Flags during a family outing. Her remarks quickly drew sharp criticism online for promoting harmful stereotypes and disparaging young Black girls.
“I’m sorry, but my son will not be dating a Black girl,” she said in the initial clip, which has since been deleted. “The pure level of disgust that I saw in these Black girls that you independent queens are raising is purely disgusting and disturbing.”
The video, which circulated widely across TikTok, X, and Instagram, sparked heated debate about internalized racism, parenting, and how social media amplifies controversial opinions. Many users accused her of perpetuating anti-Black bias and unfairly generalizing young girls based on one incident.
“So… you think the pale ones are gonna spare you or your sons? 🤣 I pray they all date and marry the Darkest, Melanated Rich, Expensive Skin and Prettiest Olandria they’ve ever seen! Amen!” one commenter was blunt.
After days of backlash, the mother posted a follow-up apology video, acknowledging that her earlier comments were wrong and poorly expressed.
“I do want to take a moment to apologize for that,” she said. “It’s not that my son wouldn’t date a Black girl — it’s more like those types of behaviors I saw that day were not acceptable to me. I shouldn’t have generalized or called those girls out of their names.”
She went on to explain that her frustration stemmed from witnessing what she described as a group of teens harassing another woman and using explicit language in front of children.
Still, she admitted that anger clouded her judgment and led to a hurtful generalization.
“I was very upset because of what I saw,” she said in the apology. “But calling them names and saying my son wouldn’t date a Black girl was wrong. I didn’t realize how many people would be hurt by that.”
The incident has reignited broader conversations within the Black community about respectability politics, internalized colorism, and generational divides. Some commenters expressed empathy for the mother’s frustration but stressed that her response reinforced damaging narratives.
“You said nothing wrong; people just can’t handle the truth,” one person commented.
Others argued that online outrage can sometimes overlook opportunities for accountability and growth.
“At least she came back to apologize,” one commenter wrote. “That’s more than most people do when they say something hurtful.”
