Digital Blackface

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only time I've ever seen this where I really raised my eyebrows was when this white woman I know started sort of posing as a black woman on Twitter. But it wasn't just the gifs. It was that, plus she was constantly posting about/weighing in on the conversations about (1) black hair, and (2) weight/body image discussions that were started by black women and focused on how these issue impact black women. This person is 100% white -- I've known her a long time . At first I thought it was incidental or that she was just trying to be supportive of black people online, but over time I noticed that she was basically posing as a black woman. She even had a profile photo that was really vague (a picture of her from the back where the lighting and a deep tan made it at least open-ended what race she is).

Anyway, I got to the point with is woman where when she'd post Lizzo gifs or something like the Prince gif above, my reaction was a straight up eye roll.

But I've never been bothered by anyone else because I've never felt like they are posing as black. This was a very specific situation where literally I think this woman was doing blackface online for some reason.

Right.

Digital blackface is like when you actually assume a black identity online under an anonymous forum. Or some of the Russian disinformation trying to sway black voters by posing as "black people" on twitter.

This ain't it.

[Anonymous]

OMFG.

[Anonymous]

I had never heard of this until today.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/26/us/digital-blackface-social-media-explainer-blake-cec/index.html

[Anonymous]

Look, we should be able to identify as black if we want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you not registered on the white people email list? An email was sent out about this weeks ago, you can only use GIFs from the AWP (Approved for White People) list. Please tell me you haven't been eating fried chicken, sushi, or pumpernickel bread. Suppose you're going to claim you didn't get that email either.

+1

Lol. This whole concept is beyond stupid. Any reasonable person, of any race, can see that. I’ll be using any gif I damn well please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

Digital blackface is definitely a thing. It's just not really what's being described in the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

Digital blackface is definitely a thing. It's just not really what's being described in the OP.

Naw, it isn’t. Sounds like weird, niche manufactured outrage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

Digital blackface is definitely a thing. It's just not really what's being described in the OP.

Naw, it isn’t. Sounds like weird, niche manufactured outrage.

You're wrong. People assume black identities online and hide behind anonymity.

I don't know about the appropriate level of outrage, but it is definitely a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

Digital blackface is definitely a thing. It's just not really what's being described in the OP.

Naw, it isn’t. Sounds like weird, niche manufactured outrage.

You're wrong. People assume black identities online and hide behind anonymity.

I don't know about the appropriate level of outrage, but it is definitely a thing.

That’s just weird Republicans who have been humiliated after getting found out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the things to be worried about!

I do worry about other people’s feelings.! I’m not in the “f*ck your feelings” camp. It doesn’t feel great when people hurt my feelings. I guess I’m in the “treat others who you would like to be treated” camp. If this is becoming a widely accepted practice, I would like to know and comply.

No, this is not a thing and you are ridiculous in your overthinking

Digital blackface is definitely a thing. It's just not really what's being described in the OP.

Naw, it isn’t. Sounds like weird, niche manufactured outrage.

You're wrong. People assume black identities online and hide behind anonymity.

I don't know about the appropriate level of outrage, but it is definitely a thing.

That’s just weird Republicans who have been humiliated after getting found out

Progress. At least you acknowledge it's a thing now.

Digital blackface has been used in the 2016 election to sway black voters, during COVID to stir up anti-vax sentiment among black people and, ridiculously, by Harry and Meghan haters who feel their criticisms will have more weight coming from a "black" voice.

[Anonymous]

I’m white and have black friends and family members by marriage and blood. Never in a million years would I have ever sent a black gif.

[Anonymous]

What you’re talking about, OP, is being intentional about not misappropriating images of Black people (or other marginalized groups) to express how you’re feeling. If the image is of someone already in the public, ie Prince, Oprah, Obama, then it’s fine. They’ve been well-paid for the work they’ve done. So to answer your question, yes, you can use that image of Prince.

Okay:


Not okay:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m white and have black friends and family members by marriage and blood. Never in a million years would I have ever sent a black gif.

You can stop at I have Black friends next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What you’re talking about, OP, is being intentional about not misappropriating images of Black people (or other marginalized groups) to express how you’re feeling. If the image is of someone already in the public, ie Prince, Oprah, Obama, then it’s fine. They’ve been well-paid for the work they’ve done. So to answer your question, yes, you can use that image of Prince.

Okay:


Not okay:

Oh come on! No one who sends a gif of that cute little boy is impersonating him. They're enjoying the cute kid dancing picture.