Written by Paul Meara
Malik Yoba is “coming out” as a straight man who is attracted to women — and that he doesn’t differentiate between cisgender and transgender women.
In an Instagram post, the actor — who you will recognize from his long stints on New York Undercover, Empire and some of your favorite Tyler Perry movies — shares his thoughts about love and attraction, dispelling a number of myths and biases in the process.
“I love ALL women AND count MYSELF among those that find themselves trans attracted and I too have felt the self imposed shame that comes with that truth but it’s time to speak up,” he captioned under a video of men bullying a man who said he has sex with trans women. “It is NOT about GENITALIA OR SEX but about attraction to the soul and humanity of an individual.”
That man is Maurice “Reese” Willoughby, a 20-year-old who recently killed himself via a drug overdose after his girlfriend left him. Yoba shared his story to begin his IG message.
“ATTENTION BLACK AND ALL MEN!!! THIS IS NOT OK!!!!! This video is another heartbreaking example of the homophobia, transphobia hatred and hypocrisy WE as black folks, BLACK MEN in particular have to NAME , FACE and CALL OUT and do the work to heal!!!”
