Keke Palmer Says Dating Outside Race Doesn't Define Or Invalidate Blackness

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Keke Palmer says whom one, as in herself, dates doesn’t determine or nullify their Blackness.

The 27-year-old shared this in a new interview with EXTRA‘s Rachel Lindsay, who can relate as the first Black Bachelorette is married to a white man, herself. When asked about whether or not she was surprised by the reaction of people on Twitter after she shared video of herself kissing a white suitor, she said yes and no.

“I was and wasn’t… I think it’s representative of the time,” she said. “No matter who I’m friends with or who I date, that doesn’t define or invalidate my blackness.”

She had a message of encouragement for those who feel hesitant to date someone of another race out of fear of what others will say.

“What I would say to anyone that’s watching that and that feels discouraged by that, chile, there’s nothing in this world that can stop you from being you,” she said. “Love who you want to love, be with who you want to be with.”

But that’s all the star had to give Lindsay. When asked who her rumored beau is, Palmer played coy.

“Oh, well, you know, I gave you as much I could, love,” she said. “You know I gotta keep some things private.”

As we told you previously though, Palmer’s alleged man is Dutch-born rapper Styn. They’ve reportedly been dating since 2019, and they’ve been cooped up together during quarantine. He’s part of a group called Mae Seven with his brother, and they recently worked with Palmer on a track called “Want Me to Be.”

Styn hasn’t been shy about sharing photos with Palmer. In a snap from the summer of the pair on bicycles riding through Manhattan, he captioned the image, “ONLY HAPPINESS, LOVE AND POSITIVE SPIRITS! You choose your circle, no one else does that for you.”

Whatever these two are doing, Palmer seems happy, and content enough to want to protect what they have. We’re happy to see it.