

What Meagan Good's Dating History Says About Her Fearlessness In Love
In the plot twist of 2023 so far, Meagan Good has sparked dating rumors thanks to being steadily papped while on the arm of new flame actor Jonathan Majors. And one thing that we got from this week's court appearance where she walked hand in hand with her man, the Harlem star is going to stick beside him.
Marvel star Jonathan Majors arrives in court holding hands with girlfriend Meagan Good. Once inside the courtroom, Good had her arm around Majors and stroked his head.
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) June 20, 2023
Majors is facing assault and harassment charges for a case involving an ex-girlfriend. pic.twitter.com/jncMh4POO8
After a meteoric rise from starring roles in two major (no pun intended) Hollywood blockbusters this year, the actor's image in the court of public opinion took a nosedive following assault and harassment charges filed against him by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The charges stemmed from an alleged incident with his ex-girlfriend in March.
Through his legal counsel, the Marvel star, who is still slated to appear in upcoming MCU properties, has maintained his innocence with his lawyer calling the allegations "false." His lawyer Priya Chaudhry also shared with Insider that the arrest and subsequent charges are a textbook case of racism.
A court date has since been set for August.
Y'all...read this article on Jonathan Majors. Why didn't his lawyers lead with this.
— Donate to local food banks (@TiphSeven) June 20, 2023
Meagan Good might of been on the phone with him... https://t.co/kHWhEjs64k pic.twitter.com/iLA1hs4fSF
On the heels of a very public divorce, seeing Meagan explore love in a new relationship with Jonathan has been the center of many conversations on Twitter and the like, with opinions ranging from her big "wife" energy displayed in court this week to beliefs that the relationship smells like a PR move.
But piggybacking off what Prentice Penny said in 2021 that we think is a very on-point quote for when you find yourself judging other people's choices: "Love is a choice, and it only needs to make sense to you."
One thing about Meagan is she is going to love fiercely and fearlessly. She also lives her life for herself and can easily shake off others' opinions if it isn't in alignment with what she wants for herself. None of us know the ins and outs of this new relationship. And like her ex-husband DeVon Franklin shared in a recent interview with The Breakfast Club when asked if her being with Jonathan upset him, "She's happy. That's a blessing."
Seeing Meagan happy and possibly in love again made us want to take a trip down relationship memory lane of who the actress has dated in the past.
Keep reading for Meagan Good's dating history.
50 Cent (2002-2003)
Who could forget the iconic 50 Cent visual for "21 Questions" made all the more sweeter by Meagan Good's presence in it? The Cousin Skeeter alum was long since known for her looks and career moves, like starring in 50 Cent's music video further cemented her sex symbol status. After meeting on the set of said video, Meagan and 50 dated briefly but kept it lowkey because Meagan didn't want their relationship to define her success as she was making a name for herself.
Meagan explained her decision to keep the relationship under wraps a decade later in an interview with Hollywood Unlocked:
"I kept it under the radar intentionally because at that time in my career, I'd just come off of 'Biker Boyz,' I'd just done the music video, and my career was going in a really great way, and what I didn't want was my connection to him to be the catalyst in any type of success that I had."
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (2004)
Though it has never been confirmed or denied, much speculation has circulated in the media that the two co-stars dated between April and October of 2004 while they were filming the 2005 film Brick.
Thomas Q. Jones (2007-2010)
Steve Granitz/WireImage
Between 2007 and 2010, Meagan was in a relationship with former Kansas City Chiefs running back Thomas Q. Jones (who is now an actor). In an interview withESSENCE, he shared how he and Meagan made their on-again-off-again relationship work:
"I look at it as something I want to do, and we take it one day at a time. I don’t look at it like it’s work. The reality is I work in New York and she works in L.A., but we are fortunate we have jobs where it’s flexible. I’m in New York for five months of the year and the other time I am wherever she is. To me, it’s what you make it. I’ve never seen myself as a celebrity, which is probably because I’m from a small town. I’m just blessed I get to do something I love to do. She’s the same way, and really humble. We may be at the mall or the movies, and people will say what are y’all doing here. We’re doing the same thing everyone else does."
Soulja Boy (2008)
After a crush that seemed one-sided, Meagan did indeed briefly date rapper Soulja Boy in 2008 during one of her breaks with Thomas Q. Jones. The relationship fizzled, and according to an alleged tweet from the actress that no longer exists, things didn't end between the pair on the best terms.
DeVon Franklin (2011-2021)
David Livingston/Getty Images
After a slew of relationships ending, being cheated on would become the catalyst for Meagan's healing journey. In 2010, she decided to take a vow of celibacy. She told Paradein 2019, "I had gotten out of another relationship and started praying about what was next and what I should be doing, and I started being celibate and working on myself and healing."
In addition to wanting to change some of her "destructive" ways, she told The Post in a 2016 interview about her decision, "I no longer wanted to be a girlfriend, I wanted a husband." Two years into her celibacy journey, she found one.
In a 2020 interview with the Tamron Hall Show, a then-38-year-old Meagan shared what God told her about the man she would eventually marry.
"The first thing God told me was that it was time to get out of that relationship. The second thing that God told me was that it was time to be celibate. The third thing God told me was that DeVon was my husband."
While working on the film Jumping the Broom in 2011, Meagan connected with producer and preacher DeVon Franklin. They had known each other for years but didn't truly hit it off in a romantic sense until that year. They would have a brief courtship before getting engaged in March 2012. Following the theme of a brief courtship, their engagement would end a few short months later, in June 2012, when the couple married and said, "I do."
In addition to cultivating a strong marriage of nearly a decade, the former couple wrote a very popular book together called The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love in 2017, and their love journey was an inspiration to many.
In December 2021, in an announcement that would shock many, Meagan and DeVon announced their decision to end their marriage. In a joint statement, the former couple shared, "We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal. There's no one at fault, we believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love."
Similarly to the healing journey before it, Meagan chose to be an open book about her major life shift and was very vocal about processing the divorce. "Throughout life, I’ve always approached relationships as understanding that at some point, they’ll get to the place that they’re going to, and then they would be over," she revealed in a 2022 conversation with xoNecole.
She continued, "In my situation right now, it’s a little bit different because I thought that that would be the last time that I would be doing that and that I would be doing this with that person forever.”
Jonathan Majors (2023-Present)
And now, we're back to where we started at the beginning of the article. Though much isn't known about her relationship with Lovecraft Country alum Jonathan Majors, the two seem pretty serious.
Despite first being papped as recently as May 2023, Meagan, 41, and Jonathan, 33, have been photographed while shopping for home decor, having dinner with her family, and now somewhat infamously holding hands at Jonathan's recent court appearance in an undeniable display as a united front, the budding relationship seems like the real deal for both actors.
The couple hasn't confirmed relationship rumors, but they are also far from denying them. Regardless of whether or not the two are falling or growing in love, we are happy to see our girl happy.
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Featured image by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Black Girls Tennis Club Is Empowering Black Women and Girls To Reclaim Their Space On The Court
The face of tennis is changing, and it’s about time. Over the years, if you were asked to name any Black tennis player, two would come to mind: Serena and Venus Williams — and rightfully so. But as new tennis sensations like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka rise to fame for their athleticism and tenacity, it’s clear that there’s a new era of tennis taking shape to bring forth a fresh take on representation and reclamation on the courts.
For that reason alone, there’s no better time than now for Black Girl Tennis Club co-founders Virginia Thornton and Kimberly Selden to lead the charge of making tennis more accessible to Black women and girls so the next Serena and Coco can emerge.
What began as your everyday lunch chat between friends to discuss their mutual dream of owning a boutique hotel turned into a proposition to start a tennis club together. With Virginia being a tennis player since adolescence and Kimberly entering the sport as a hobby in her adult life, the two jumped at the idea of making a space where Black women could discover a new hobby and not feel like the “only one” on the tennis court.
“The club kind of started for selfish reasons, but not in a bad way,” Virginia tells xoNecole. “We realized that there was actually a need for this.”
Kimberly adds, “Now we're literally disrupting a whole industry. We didn't plan it, but it felt divine; like we were called to do this. Black Girls Tennis Club has been a catalyst for personal growth in all areas of life, and we would have never anticipated that.”
Since establishing the Black Girl Tennis Club in 2022, the two have made it their mission to cultivate a space for “Joy Equity and Radical Wellness.” Their platform serves as a means to inform, inspire, motivate, and reshape the narrative around Black women and girls in the tennis world while highlighting the transformative power of sports and play for liberation.
With approximately 78% of tennis players being white and only 6.8% being Black, and the average cost of a private tennis lesson being $60 per hour, racial and economic disparities within the sport are vast. To help close this gap, the two founders have banded together to develop free tennis instruction clinics for girls aged 8-18 and local tennis events that bring adult offerings through programs like the Self Love Tennis Club and Cardio Tennis Classes to HBCU campuses in Virginia.
Both Virginia and Kimberly understand the power of their mission and believe that they were brought on each other’s path to execute it together. “It’s the power of alignment,” Kimberly says. “I think when you're doing the right thing and you're obedient, and answer the call, that’s when things start to happen, and the universe conspires to make them happen.”
We caught up with the founders to discuss their mission, the importance of representation, and how they plan to disrupt the tennis industry one court at a time.
xoNecole: Could you talk a little more about your CARE pillars with change, access, representation and exposure?
Kimberly Selden: As we started to do the work, we saw that there were so many equity issues. Although we knew from our own personal experiences that there are barriers to tennis being an expensive sport, we just acknowledged it as the culture of tennis. Because it's predominantly white, that transfers over to the fashion, the dynamics on the court, the attitudes, and the mindset. And so we knew this required a culture shift for us to ever really feel comfortable.
We were exposing kids to tennis, and then after the clinics, they're like, "Okay, now what?" It's still expensive, and they still may or may not have had access to it if they're not with us. We don't want to just pop in like, "Hey, here's a clinic, bye!" So, the culture change is just a reflection of what our existence looks like. Access is about being able to access the sport through courts, programs, or a coach. Representation is that we can't believe it until we see it.
Granted, there are a lot of pro Black women tennis players taking off, and we love that. But we think about media representation as well [as] representation within the USCA, in the boardrooms, and the people that are making the rules around the game.
xoN: Why do you all think it’s important for Black women and girls to reclaim their space on the tennis court?
Virginia Thornton: It's rare, at least in my world, where you're in a space and see nothing but women who look like you. But it makes me feel great when I can be my authentic self, especially on a tennis court. Just shedding all the weight of pretending to be anything else. You feel at home when you're around nothing but Black women. Even small things like seeing a young Black girl being okay with how God made them is amazing.
KS: [In] the Atlanta clinics we did, everyone was crying. It's just clear how desperately we need it. Connection is the key to a long life. So many of us — especially from the pandemic and working from home — are isolated. With every clinic, it's just fun to be there, and it just fills you up. I think people need hobbies. I think a lot of people, especially people in big cities, feel that way and were confronted with that during the pandemic.
xoN: How did sports play a role in helping you two find your voice and confidence both on and off the court?
VT: I think what people don't realize is that tennis is such a mental sport. You could be a 4.0 player and have a bad mental day, and you will play like you've never picked up a racquet before. So, the mental piece is super important. For me, it's like ‘you against you,’ even though you are playing somebody.
If you're able to work through those mental pieces with yourself on the court, that will translate off the court. I had an issue on the court where I have a habit of saying, "Sorry," — I think a lot of Black women do, honestly. Then I realized that they wouldn't say sorry or they’d use my kindness as weakness. I've learned a lesson in that because everything translates on and off the court.
"If you're able to work through those mental pieces with yourself on the court, that will translate off the court."
KS: It's easy for me to do things that I'm good at, but it's not easy for me to do things that I'm not good at. Tennis is still challenging for me, but it pushes me. It’s a reality check for me; I know when things are aligned, and when they're not. It feels like a big metaphor for me because it's pushing me to do something that's uncomfortable and makes me work for myself more.
xoN: What do you hope the long-term impact of Black Girl Tennis Club will be?
VS: We want to have a space for people who might be workaholics or might be going through depression. It's always great to have a hobby, whether that's knitting, sewing, or what have you. For me and Kimberly, it’s about creating hobbies for Black women and girls but also knowing that it’s okay to not be amazing at it. You don't have to be amazing at tennis; you could hit around the court, and that's okay.
The next Serena or Venus might come from Black Girls Tennis Club.
To support Black Girl Tennis Club’s mission, donate to their cause here and follow their Instagram page to stay up to date with new clinics and events.
Featured image by LumiNola/Getty Images