The infidelity of Mary Jane sleeping with a married man has captivated the attention of African American women. 

Mary Jane’s character portrays an ambitious, sharp, and career oriented black woman, yet reveals her fears of loneliness that causes her to lose her morale. 

As with any other television show which exemplifies African American women making distasteful choices, there are hundreds of critics. For the most part, viewers tune in looking for drama opposed to what life lessons can be taken away from the show. It is immoral to sleep with a married man. Some would never do it, while others see nothing wrong with it. The problem is not infidelity, but the anxiety some females get from being alone. 

The New York Daily News reported that black women are the most un-partnered group of people in the United States. The report included low marriage rates among black women with two out of three black women being unmarried, the majority of which without a committed partner. The study concluded that college educated black women are twice as likely as their white counterparts to be unmarried.

At some point in our lives, we all have thought about the ending factor. I am pretty sure the majority of women have thought about the age they planned to get married. I know I have. In 1991, as a junior in college my mother was 20 and dating the love of her life who is now my father. I am the same age and classification in 2014, and I am still committed to my body pillow. 

Often times, I wonder if this is the end for me, but then I quickly cut the theatrics. Why am I scared of the unknown? Am I really that desperate?  Granted, no one wants to grow old alone, but is it necessary to put a time limit on when you should have a man? Is that why so many women seem to be settling happily instead of being happily settled down? 

In admiration of other couples’ love chronicles, such as our parents and peers, it is easy to get wrapped up in setting unconscious limitations. In middle school, I knew I would have a high school sweet heart. When that did not work, family, friends, and my unconscious consciousness, promised me that Mr. Right was more than likely awaiting my arrival on campus. Not only has Mr. Right stood me up, but he has also taught me a valuable lesson, patience. 

I have witnessed countless situations of female friends and family members settle for “situationships” with people involved in complex situations. I have witnessed these same people date men with wives, or who are involved with a girlfriend with kids. From my understanding commitment is accepting a person for who they are, but it should not require you to be a personal bag lady.  

We as black women need to gain self-confidence, believing that we are beautiful, and that we are wanted. Be confident in being a successful single woman. Although the single life has been doing what it can for a year or so, it does not put us in the “Never Will I Ever Get A Man” category. 

To compensate for her loneliness Mary Jane goes against her morals and continues to have an affair with a married man.  If you notice outside of her affair, she dibbles and dabbles with a past lover to fill the void of having someone. Her loyalty is not to these men but to her loneliness of being over 30 and having yet to establish a family. You can never be loyal to anyone if you betray the loyalty to yourself.

Keep hope alive, do not allow your fear of being a maiden result in you being a mistress. Mr. Right does not need to be right now, and your Sir Right Now’s may not be Mr. Right. We do enough and we are enough, let time handle the rest.

—Email Meagan at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @itsme_agannn

• Meagan Jordan, Opinions Editor