Marques Houston Under Fire For Controversial Dating Remarks, Labeling Women His Age & Single Mothers As 'Red Flags’

Marques Houston provided an explanation for his decision to not date women of his own age prior to tying the knot with his 22-year-old wife, Miya Houston. In a new interview, he said women his age and single mothers are “red flags” for him. More inside… At the age of 37, Marques Houston made headlines when he got engaged to a 19-year-old and defended their two-decade age difference against online criticism. Now, at 41 and with a 22-year-old wife, Miya Houston, and a newborn child, the actor/singer has revealed to Page Six that he avoided dating women his own age due to the "baggage" that came with them. He considered single mothers with children a "red flag" and preferred to have his own kids with a childless partner. “A red flag to me [was] always with a woman that had a kid,” he said. “Nothing against single women, but single mothers with children are a red flag for me.”           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Miya Houston (@iammiyahouston)   The “Sister, Sister” star met his wife, Miya Dickey, in 2018 through a mutual friend, and he expressed respect for single mothers while maintaining his own preferences in a partner. In his episode of TVOne’s Uncensored, he revealed Miya was 17 when they met, but said neither one of them pursued a relationship or felt a “connection” until she turned 18 years old. “I tip my hat and respect women that are raising children on their own,” he told us. “But when I grew up, I never really wanted to have kids.”           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Miya Houston (@iammiyahouston)   The Immature singer also admitted to disliking women with negative attitudes. His father advised him to have his own children with a childless woman to avoid potential conflicts with a baby daddy. He elaborated, “I would talk to my dad a lot, and he would always tell me to have your own kids because you never know what the baby daddy‘s are about. So if you’re gonna have kids, make sure it is with a woman that never had kids. So that was always my red flag… and a woman with an attitude. I don’t like women with funky attitudes.”  Marques and Miya got married in August 2020 and welcomed their first child together, a girl, in December 2021. Miya is really close to Chris Stokes, who used to manage Immature and B2K, and she calls him "dad." Marques also explained how his preference for a younger partner stems from his desire to provide for his wife.  “I’m 41, she is 22. I could’ve married a 44-year-old woman, and it could’ve been disastrous,” the singer said. “Women that are my age… they kind of have a different outlook on life. Like a lot of women my age are very independent. They are very like, ‘I don’t need a man to do this for me ’cause I can do it for myself.’ I come from a generation that I love to provide for my wife.”           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Miya Houston (@iammiyahouston)   He added, “There’s a lot of women my age I’ve dated, they may have baggage. They may have kids, they may not. There’s so many different women I’ve been with throughout my life, and it just so happens to be that this one [Miya] caught my heart. Everything that I prayed for — and everything that I wanted in a woman — she came with. Although she was young, I’m young in spirit.”  Folks have been dragging Marques with allegations of grooming when he met Miya, who was still a teenager when they first met. Despite defending the relationship and clarifying that they only became romantically involved when she was 18, fans continue to find the situation strange and unsettling. Peep reactions below:   Marques Houston is a weirdo. No matter how he tries to slice it or dice it, he was talking to and engaging with a minor. What do you even talk about with a teenager who isn’t family or a god child as a 35+ year old man to build a connection? — kevikev (@KevCoke6) April 18, 2023     "When you're in this industry, you don't age... My dad's 40 is different from my 40. My 40 is like, 20." - Marques Houston, 2023 These pedophiles and groomers really come up with the most creative logic to justify their deplorable behavior. — 'Bü-zhē Black Bōˈhēmēən (@bougieblkboheme) April 10, 2023     Not Marques Houston doubling down on marrying a child AND then insulting women his age in the process pic.twitter.com/ZtTyGQ3KLQ — Platform Princess (@PlatformMisses) April 18, 2023     Who keeps interviewing Marques Houston and why are you not asking him about Chris Strokes? https://t.co/tDp3QqOb6F pic.twitter.com/WRaXKYixEM — AD III (@anseldeangelo) April 18, 2023     I wish Marques Houston would stop trying to explain being a pedophile. Idc what the circumstances are - dating somebody you met as a CHILD when you were an ADULT is sick behavior — Patience...again (@Patiencexx4) April 18, 2023     Marques Houston: “ A single mom with kids is a red flag for me” Me: