Rebuilding Rob

The other day, I was perusing the interwebs, looking for something else to read, as I usually do. And I came across this article about actress, Taraji Henson, an appearance she made a podcast.

Taraji P. Henson Jokes American Men Are “Ran Through” & Yung Miami Agrees

To sum up, Henson was asked if she was seeing anyone currently. She said no and went on to say that she’s not sure that she can find a man in America because American men are “ran through”

Then, of course, I had to consult with urban dictionary, as any 50-year-old white man would have to do to understand the term “ran through“

I’m not usually one to get too hung up on what celebrities are saying, particularly about their private lives, but I do find some people’s opinions on the state of relationships interesting. After all, it was my divorce that was the genesis of this very blog. I know that for me, my divorce made me shift a lot of my perceptions on love, marriages, relationships, and even to lesser degree sexual promiscuity. And for the life of me, I only have a passing knowledge of Taraji P Henson. I understand she’s a TV star. But from Mary J. Blige, I don’t know who the hell the other person even is. 

But are American men “ran through”? Are American women for that matter? And what exactly constitutes being “ran through” anymore. It’s important to note here that the headlines suggest that Henson is joking with her statement. But is she? Sometimes we say things jokingly because they’re funny; and yet at the same time, they are true. Sometimes jokes beg serious questions. 

I’m 50 years old. I’m no longer at a point in my life where I could be very picky about the number of sexual partners that a potential girlfriend or future wife would have had. Don’t get me wrong. So it has standards. But I think at the same time it’s important to be realistic about the standards in the context.

That’s not to say that I would be completely OK with dating a nymphomaniac or a formal prostitute. But Taraji Henson is 54 years old. To think that she’s going to meet somebody who doesn’t have a sexual history is ridiculous.

And there’s nothing wrong with having standards for yourself, especially after a failed relationship or unsuccessful marriage. It’s OK to raise the proverbial bar. But I think sometimes people will set such unrealistically high expectations for a romantic partner that it eliminates the possibility of getting into a relationship altogether. After all, it’s a lot easier to make the excuse “there’s not anybody who hits my standards“ and it is to say “I’m too afraid to try and get back out there”

Are American men “ran through”? Are American women “ran through”? What exactly constitutes being “ran through”? And have your definitions of that changed as you’ve gotten older?

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Sunday is borrowed time
• Teacher Armor and the Saturday Clearing
• The Extra Day: A Ten-Year Memory
• Of Training Wheels and Christmas Lights
• Charity Starts at Home (And I’m Back in My Childhood One)

The article “Rob Reads: Taraji P Henson jokes American Men are “ran through” first appeared in Rebuilding Rob.