Let me start out by explaining what digital blackface is for those who aren’t familiar with the term.

Teen Vogue says “If you’ve never heard of the term before, “digital blackface” is used to describe various types of minstrel performance that become available in cyberspace. Blackface minstrelsy is a theatrical tradition dating back to the early 19th century, in which performers “blacken” themselves up with costume and behaviors to act as black caricatures.”

Basically saying that by using / sharing gifs, memes and emojis of black people on the internet, if you aren’t black or a person of color, you are being inadvertently racist, and participating in “cyber black face.”

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this. To me, as a black woman, white people sharing black gifs with no racist intentions is completely fine. Gifs are gifs, and there are plenty of gifs and memes of white and black people... however I don’t know how to feel when it comes to white people using black emojis because emojis are suppose to be a physical representation of yourself.. hence having different complexions (yes, I do realize that the emojis don’t have every single complexion, but if you’re pale skinned, you use a pale skinned emoji, it’s simple 🤷🏽‍♀️)

And you can argue that by sharing gifs and memes, that they are suppose to be a physical representation of you as well, but I see memes and gifs different. I see them as a representation of how you feel, not your skin tone. But then a lot of people argue that when white people share gifs and memes of black people, they are exploiting our “culture” of attitudes. Aka.. “acting ghetto” or having “a lot of sass.” I’ve provided examples below:

So what do you guys think? Do you believe in the concept of digital blackface? Or do you think it’s bullshit? I don’t know. I think it’s a stretch...