EliteNoir founders say "we could not find a place that spoke exclusively to us."

Elite Noir founders say, "We could not find a place that spoke exclusively to us."

A recent issue of Essence included a blurb about EliteNoir.com, which calls itself “an exclusive dating and social networking community dedicated solely to African American professionals seeking love, romance, and friendship with those of similar personal and professional status.”

Approval of potential daters is contingent upon educational attainment, and applicants must include a professional, black and white headshot “to ensure continuity of the site.”  Ah, of course.  Continuity.  Either that or to ensure the weeding out of people who can’t get their stuff together enough to have a professional shot taken.

I sent the link to a friend (a Spelman and Harvard educated attorney, globetrotter, fashionista, and Match.com member), who replied by g-chat after a brief investigation: “This site is killing me softly.  It is so faux bourgeois.”

I had to agree.  Elite Noir brought to mind a pet peeve of mine: Those club e-flyers that fill my inbox starting on Wednesday every week, proclaiming so insistently that the events they advertise are upscale and exclusive, for elite, successful professionals, that they actually begin to appear to be the opposite.

Then again, I don’t go to dive bars – I  attend those “upscale” events right after rolling my eyes at their flowery, excessive advertisements. . . and I’m sure not signing up for blacksingles.com.

In fact, if I’d had the requisite headshot on file, I might have created a profile on Elite Noir, just to see who was out there.  I admit it.  Something about the site, with its black and white design, attractive founders, and well-written prose (and yes, it’s exclusivity) appealed to me.

So, I’m a bit conflicted here.  Blatant elitism in black dating services: over-the top snobbery, or a response to a real need?

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