What’s ‘digital blackface?’ And why is it wrong when White people use it? - CNN

Kosmik

Kosmik

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Recent article on CNN

CNN —
Maybe you shared that viral video of Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins telling a reporter after narrowly escaping an apartment fire, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

Perhaps you posted that meme of supermodel Tyra Banks exploding in anger on “America’s Next Top Model” (“I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!”). Or maybe you’ve simply posted popular GIFs, such as the one of NBA great Michael Jordan crying, or of drag queen RuPaul declaring, “Guuuurl…”

If you’re Black and you’ve shared such images online, you get a pass. But if you’re White, you may have inadvertently perpetuated one of the most insidious forms of contemporary racism.

You may be wearing “digital blackface.”
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edition.cnn.com

What's 'digital blackface?' And why is it wrong when White people use it? | CNN

If you're White and you've posted a GIF or meme of a Black person to express a strong emotion, you may be guilty of wearing 'digital blackface' -- a modern-day term for an insidious form of racism.
edition.cnn.com edition.cnn.com
 
As per rules I have left my comments to the followup posts. In my opinion, this shows the authors lack of understanding of the subject they are trying to punt and secondly, as someone who uses memes, can't say anything racial has ever gotten into it. Its either some type of viral image or , yes , stereotypical type though but its normally meant as satire/caricature. Maybe I'm anti-klingon then for using Star Treks Worf or anti-android for depicting poor Data.

Opposite article pointing this out.

CNN sparks controversy over column telling white people they can't do 'digital blackface' by posting humorous memes with black people in​

  • Writer John Blake said that white people using memes of black people was racist
  • He argued the practice was equivalent to modern-day minstrel shows
  • Many said he was misconstruing a commonly held definition of the term, which they said referred to white people posing as black online to perpetuate ideas
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www.dailymail.co.uk

CNN sparks controversy for column about 'digital blackface'

CNN writer John Blake said that white people using memes of black people was racist. He argued the practice was equivalent to modern-day minstrel shows.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
 
Last edited:
surface said:
What the world is coming to? Only mybb will be the safe space left soon.
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T&C's on MyBB will also be re-done to come in line with the New World Order.
 
LazyLion said:
Who made THAT guy the spokesperson for an entire group of people, that's now really the height of presumption.....
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I dunno, seems happy to appropriate other culture names :p

Side note, I personally don't care about names, crud, race etc. We need to firmly get above all this rubbish to proceed as a species.
 
pffff, digital blackface is so 1999, and it was pretty badass btw!

LmpwZw
 
While black face may be racist imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Dumb soapbox generation.
 
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