Author Archive

Paying It Forward: What Does BB&W Owe BWE?

May 23, in Black Women's Empowerment, Editorial Staff, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

BB&W is officially not a BWE blog, yet in practice and intent, BB&W is very much a BWE blog. … my purpose is to direct the attention of the leadership of BB&W to an uncomfortable set of questions, culminating in an appeal to take on responsibility for promoting the ideas of BWE to the those who could benefit from them, regardless of the level of support coming from the traditional BWE bloggers.

Vetting Aabaakawad

May 20, in *Special*, Black Women's Empowerment, Editorial Staff, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

One prominent blogger has concluded that, because I made two short comments recently, on a couple of blogs, that were in poor taste, and because she kicked me off her blog four years ago, that I am the stealthiest of stealth concern trolls, spending years gaining you all’s trust so that I can pursue my true an agenda of “pissing on BW’s heads”. Then she uses me as an example of someone who has been improperly allowed to be a supposed ally due poor vetting by BW.

BB&W Online Dating Challenge: Deconstruct My Profile Text!

Apr 19, in Editorial Staff, Guests of the Inner Sanctum, Swirling Singles, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

I am active on four online dating sites: POF.com, Match.com, AfroRomance.com, and SeniorsMeet.com. In this post, we are going to critique the main text part(s) of my online dating profiles with the aim of improving them and/or helping others create their own.

A Different “Defense of Marriage”

Mar 28, in Editorial Staff, Guests of the Inner Sanctum, Politics, Religion & Spirituality, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

It’s been suggested that we release “marriage” from government, give it entirely & symbolically over to religious institutions, and use civil unions under law for all couples gay and straight. I would love to live in that world. Perfectly logical. Hell to implement.”Marriage” is an understood concept universally, even by it’s strongest critics. With thousands of years of history predating all the major religions and implemented planet-wide (with varying standards), what it means doesn’t have to be explained, and expectations in law and society are quite stable. Full faith and credit amongst the states, and almost perfect cross-border recognition between countries.

That Awkward Umbrage, Part I: The Potential Role of White People in the Protection of Black Women

Jan 30, in Editorial Staff, Pop Culture, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

A Black woman activist recently emailed a concise opinion piece she found, on Jay-Z’s new-found reluctance to use the word “bitch”, to me and a couple hundred of her closest friends. The essay was great, but a certain detail caught my eye. So I wrote a short email to those 200 friends, and a few [...]

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Should We All Have Racial Amnesia? The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Swirl

Jan 17, in Blast from the Past, Editorial Staff, History, Swirling Singles, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

The most successful populations in America at Black/White interaction are adolescents and young adults. Our current black and white youth are connecting, befriending and romancing each other across the color line. But theirs has not been a story of overcoming differences and dealing with shared history. In fact, our youngest people usually aggressively deny that there are any differences, or any history to be interested in.

That Awkward Privilege: Invisible Irony — The Mixed Power Status of Black Men

Nov 3, in Editorial Staff, Gender Conflict, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

Ever wanted to demonstrate the paradox of Black Male [Mixed] Privilege by systematically illustrating how male privilege is fully analogous to White privilege? Perhaps this post will be helpful.

Black men are in the complex position of being quite privileged in one sphere of human activity — romantic relationships — while being quite disempowered in all other spheres of human activity. As ever with any human being, privilege is hardly acknowledged, while disempowerment is appropriately and loudly resented.

“Every New Guy I Date Always Tries to End the Date with Sex”

Feb 18, in Editorial Staff, Gender Conflict, Question of the Week, Sexuality, Swirling Singles, by Bill Drew ("Aabaakawad")

“Single ladies, what are some of the rules you follow when dating someone new? Every new guy I date always tries to end the date with sex. I want to know if it could be me putting out those signals, or am I picking the wrong guys? I just went out with someone who I thought was great! He exemplified everything I thought was good in a Christian man. The entire date was perfect until he kept begging me to go to his house or he come to mine.”