This past year was an active one for celebrity weddings and engagements. Megastars like Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez found their forever people, and managed to break the internet while doing so. But my favorite wedding news of late was that of the rappers Monaleo and Stunna 4 Vegas. In late September, the couple livestreamed every moment of their bright-pink ceremony on TikTok. In the past, I’ve only had the patience to watch royal wedding ceremonies from a screen, but I was sat for everything from this duo’s vow exchange to Stunna’s teary-eyed reaction to his bride walking down the aisle. And for me (both a fan and a sappy wedding content-enthusiast), it stood out from the rest of this year’s high-profile Hollywood marriages. Not only due to the TikTok livestream of it all, but because it was such a wholesome, positively received celebration of young Black love.
Lately, several influential young Black women in culture have been going viral not for scandal but for joyful milestones in their love lives. On TikTok, you can find Megan Thee Stallion posting her workouts and adorable Labubu unboxings with her boyfriend, NBA player Klay Thompson. Late last year, the couple Ryan Destiny and Keith Powers, announced their next big step (and reminded us how genetically blessed they are) in some stunning engagement photos. Last summer, musician Coco Jones shared news that she and NBA star Donovan Mitchell will be getting married, and earlier in the spring, singer Normani announced her engagement to Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf. All this to say, it’s been an active era for Black It Girls settling down, and the virality and positive reception surrounding these moments leave me hoping that they’ll create a lasting cultural impact beyond your standard relationship goals.
The online narrative around Black women’s desirability and perceived worthiness of marriage looks very different than what it did a decade ago. Today, there’s clearly a wealth of positive representations of Black celebrities committed and in love to be found. But in the digital media landscape of days past, I recall plenty more headlines about Black women’s bleak dating prospects. Reports suggesting that our demographic was statistically the least likely to get married (or even find success on dating apps) were everywhere. And those official statistics only supported negative social media commentary branding Black women, particularly dark-skinned ones, as undesirable or unworthy of lasting love. There were memes and viral videos that thrived on stereotypes portraying Black women as a whole as perpetually single and worthy of nothing more than “baby mother” status.
All of that marks the mid-2020s high concentration of famous Black women going viral for getting married, engaged, or even sharing sweet moments (like Labubu unboxings) as a meaningful shift. It signals not only a cultural rebranding of Black love but also an overdue celebration of Black women’s joy being recognized, valued, and widely shared.
“When Black celebrity engagements and weddings go viral, they challenge long-standing narratives that Black women are somehow less desirable or less chosen,” says Roma Williams, a relationship expert based in Houston, Texas. “These moments create a chain reaction in families, communities, and culture because they show joy, partnership, and commitment in ways that shift the [narrative] about Black love on a bigger platform. At a systemic level, that visibility is powerful because it affirms worth and possibility far beyond one couple’s story.”
Couples therapist Beverley Andre adds that these celebrity couples could do some serious good in the long term. “Seeing more young Black celebrities choose each other publicly pushes back against the idea that Black love is fading within the younger generation,” she says. “The public displays of Black celebrity couples committing to one another challenge the long-held notion that Black men don’t prefer to marry Black women, particularly those with darker skin.”
And as we honor Black History Month, and reflect on the strides the Black community has made in politics and culture throughout the years, it’s also important to recognize the shifts that are gradually occurring in real time, no matter how ordinary they may seem.
“For young people who are dating, these visible examples of Black love validate their inner desire to experience it," Beverly says. "And, for some, they can restore a sense of hope and possibility that counters the narratives [that were once] promoted in the media.”
