> "I doubt it's racist. And who cares anyway. If someone doesn't "prefer" you, then what have you lost, and why would you want to be with them? There are plenty of other people."

That's a fine opinion if we lived in a vacuum where perhaps every interaction was unique.

However, in an aggregate we see trends and inequality. If you're a segment that gets penalized for your race from most segments, do you not see why people would care? It doesn't mean people should be accused of being racist or should have to change their preference, rather we should be open to discuss why things are the way they are, not unlike race/gender imbalance in the tech world.

Would you have said this to a black person in the 50s as comfort for their plight?

Would I have said something like that in the context of not many white people wanting to date them? Probably.

Would I have said something like that in the context of lynching? Hell no.

Are they the same thing? I don't think so, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

Am I racist because I prefer redheads but not blond? It's a mystery what sparks things in people. Am I homophobic because I only date women? I don't think so. But that's probably worth thinking about too.

Is a dating service fundamentally racist or sexist by enabling people to shop for or against people of a certain makeup, treating people like items on a menu? I don't think so, and I don't think it's wrong to acknowledge and be comfortable with attraction.