MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

RHONY star Eboni K Williams slammed for sayings she wouldn't date a bus driver if he 'didn't own it'

Some people criticized her for having unreasonable demands, while others praised her for having such high standards.

Eboni K Williams, a reality TV actress and former Real Housewives of New York cast member, stirred a contentious discussion on social media after saying something scandalous about dating a bus driver. Williams acknowledged in an interview with Iyanla Vanzant that she would only date a bus driver if he "owned the bus." Some people criticized her for having unreasonable demands, while others praised her for having such high standards.

Iyanla Vanzant has spoken out against the "masculine aggressiveness" that some Black women display when dating, claiming that it is "killing us" and advising them to embrace their true strength. Williams, who acknowledged exuding masculine energy, acknowledged that since no man had ever consistently provided for her, it was now her obligation to do so. 

RELATED ARTICLES 

Eboni Williams educates 'RHONY' ladies about Sag Harbor's Black history, fans say 'make them uncomfortable'

Who is Eboni Williams' ex-fiance? 'RHONY' star reveals she dumped her beau after he picked his kids over her

The Controversial Interview 

Williams questioned how educated and accomplished Black women could assert their divinity while certain Black males are "not in a position to protect nor provide," to which Iyanla replied by enquiring as to whether Williams would date a bus driver. Williams retorted that if the bus owner was the bus driver, she would date him. This, according to Iyanla, is an issue since the metrics used to judge males aren't accurate for the roles that women and men play in society.

Following Williams' remarks, several social media users shared their own encounters with blue-collar employees and criticized her standards as being too high. Williams, however, defended her stance and countered detractors by asserting that Black women are routinely expected to date men who are less successful and earn less money.

In the interview that sparked controversy, Iyanla asked Eboni — “Would you date a bus driver?” “If he owns the bus,” Eboni responded. “If he owns it.” “That’s a problem,” Iyanla said. “Because the standards and requisites, the standards and criteria that we use to measure men is off for who we are as women and who they are in this society.”

Eboni's response on Twitter

Eboni responded bravely to the barrage of unfavorable remarks on social media, defending herself and all Black women who have been wrongly stigmatized and denigrated. She attacked the people who commented on their socials calling out Black women "Undesirable" and "Gold Diggers" and other derogatory terms.

For those who believed Eboni was settling by not aiming for the stars, she set the record straight: she is not asking for average; she is merely demanding the respect and dignity that every human being deserves. Eboni made it abundantly clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with driving a bus. She made it clear in the video, "I'll say it again, there is nothing wrong with driving a bus" She also stated, "No, average is not and never be good enough for me." 

In her response video, she mentioned, “I suspect that some of y’all are the same men that were bringing home Cs and Ds on your report card, only to be coddled by parents who said, ‘Well that’s okay as long as you’re doing your best.’” Eboni added on The Grio, “I love and believe in the excellence of Black men so no my dear, Cs or Ds or any other form of mediocrity is not okay.” She further said, “So, I’mma say one more time. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with driving a bus, my mother Gloria drove one for years, but could it be that Black America has been sold a narrative of average, regular, and typical being good enough for us? Well, see, that’s called white supremacy.”

Some people tweeted against Eboni, as they were not entirely convinced with her perspective to make a demeaning remark against working class people and then try to cover it, by gaslighting and blaming the whole thing on "white supremacy". 

"This isn't about "empowering black men to want better". It's about gaslighting & changing the narrative away from her clearly elitist and tone def commentary. Iyanla Vanzant pulled her card tactfully," one tweeted. While another said, "No white supremacy is telling black people that they have to be 10 times as good as white people. Being average is equality. We have a far greater issue in our community with striverism than people wanting to be average. A strivenism that is not rooted in reality."