On Nia Long: 'Cheating has never been about a woman's (perceived) beauty'

JOHANNESBURG - Actress, Nia Long has been trending well into the weekend following the news that her fiancé - Ime Udoka cheated on her.

Udoka - a professional basketball coach has since been suspended from his role as head coach of the Boston Celtics due to "violations of team policies". It's alleged he had an affair with a staff member.

And as always, we're at the front seat of a man's actions disrupting probably one of the most scandal-free actresses in the industry.

Long has since issued a statement, expressing gratitude over "the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time" and has asked that her privacy be respected.

However, an interesting narrative has also emerged alongside the infidelity news - certainly not a new one, but one that cannot be ignored. "How can Udoka cheat on such a 10?"

A '10' is a term millennials and Gen Zs informally use to describe someone "insanely hot", a "bhebeza" "a stunner" and the likes.

As if a 10 ever prevented a partner from stepping out? And so, by implication if you're not a 10 it's more acceptable to be cheated on?

Just recently, a similar conversation surrounded Maroon 5's Adam Levine's infidelity, after he cheated on his "Victoria Secret' model wife - Behati Prinsloo, who by the way is pregnant with their third child.

Apparently, he even wanted to name the yet-to-be-born baby after the woman he had an affair with.

The jokes write themselves right?

And yet again, there was some time spent on his wife being a 'Victoria Secret model' - like how dare he?

As if in the history of humanity - how hot, beautiful, sexy, smart, well-travelled etc has ever barred or will ever bar any partner from cheating.

And while one does not want to descend to the 'why partners cheat' conversation, a tired one if you ask me, and perhaps behavioural scientists can unpack that one, primary observation is because people can.

Tweeps were reminded of something Halle Berry - dubbed one of the 'most beautiful women' to ever grace earth - because you know there have been annual lists that grade beauty, who once said:

"Let me tell you something. Being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life...Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless..."

In the words of a tweep: "Let's remember and normalise the fact that cheating was never about a woman's lack of beauty, worth or anything for that matter..."

This one, is all on Udoka.