You mean we can't do that anymore?
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White people, stop engaging in “digital blackface” by posting gifs featuring black folks
Jeff Charles, Red State:
“Have you ever heard of the term “digital blackface?
“If you’re a normal person who does not spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter like me, such an idea has probably never come into your orbit. But thanks to CNN columnist John Blake, we have yet another op-ed explaining what this supposedly racist phenomenon is and lecturing us about why it is harmful to everyday black Americans who probably have never heard of the term either.
“In a piece titled “What’s ‘digital blackface?’ And why is it wrong when White people use it?” Blake explains:
Digital blackface is a practice where White people co-opt online expressions of Black imagery, slang, catchphrases or culture to convey comic relief or express emotions.
These expressions, what one commentator calls racialized reactions, are mainstays in Twitter feeds, TikTok videos and Instagram reels, and are among the most popular Internet memes.
“When someone is engaging in digital blackface, they might use digital media such as memes, GIFs, and emojis featuring black people, culture, and expressions to express themselves online. This can include using images of black people to convey humor, sarcasm, or other emotions, often without any regard for the experiences or perspectives of black people.
“Progressives with nothing going on in their lives argue that the practice of digital blackface can be seen as a form of cultural appropriation and can contribute to the erasure and marginalization of black voices and experiences. It can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce existing power dynamics that contribute to racism and discrimination. As such, they argue, it is important for white people to be mindful of the ways in which they use digital media and to consider the impact of their actions on marginalized communities.”
With their sequins, bell bottoms and vertiginous platform boots, Abba were the epitome of 1970s cool.
But fans wanting to get into the spirit of the era have been banned from wearing so-called disco wigs as they are ‘culturally insensitive’, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
Audience members attending the Abba Voyage shows, which feature holograms performing the band’s greatest hits, have been told not to wear the Afro-style hairpieces because they are ‘not appropriate’.
In an email to ticket-holders, promoters say: ‘Many of our guests will want to get in the spirit of the show by dressing up for their visit. [But] please do not wear so-called “Afro” wigs.
‘These wigs are culturally insensitive and not appropriate to be worn as fancy dress. If any guests are wearing this style of wig they will be respectfully asked to remove them as a condition of entry to the arena.’
Anni-Frid Lyngstad: “Inget mer!”
appropriated a white sport, and white hair texture and color — oh, the horror!
