Really no different than some black males with white women. But if you ask black women, when they do it, it's somehow "different" or for "real" love. Or because they couldn't find a black male that qualifies.
1. black men justify their interracial dating all the time. Less "they" and more "we"
The best is "White males appreciate my natural hair more"
Or "White males like dark-skin better"
2. other races expect black people to look *gasp* black. non-blacks & blacks have two different ideas of blackness. yes, the most prejudice things i've heard about dark skin came from blacks because to them blacks come in many colors but the darker ones are not okay. i don't think either group's idea of blackness is very accurate.
i don't take this as other races appreciate or like black features more than blacks. i take it as they expect it more than blacks do. like a friend of mine is very dark and he gets jokes made on him by blacks. they want to know if he's fresh off the boat. other races expect black people to be dark.
So they berate black men for perceived colorism and dating too light,(as if light skinned women aren't black at all) then turn around and advocate "something new" or expanding dating options.
3. i don't see how berating colorism has anything to do with expanding dating options.
female colorism favors dark men. when it doesn't darker guys get upset and its no longer "light skin is black too." it is "she's self hating and want light babies." sounds like what the women were saying? so let's not make this a female thing.
4. your wife's friends are not a large enough group to be representative
5. not all naturals go natural for the same reason, so fail. many just want longer hair.