Blackface Outrage on Social Media

What might get you “canceled” no longer seems to matter to some on social media.  Many uninformed “influencers” are wearing blackface in a tone-deaf attempt to “show solidarity” with the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's death, as nationwide protests continue across the country.  “I wish I was black, today more than ever,” said one influencer, Tania Saleh, in a recent Instagram post — with a photo of a black woman with her face photo-shopped over it.  “Sending my love and full support to the people who demand equality and justice for all races anywhere in the world,” added Saleh. 

After being called out by her followers for her usage of blackface in the comments section, the social media influencer responded, "I have posted this with love and I will not  remove it despite all your offensive comments."

In another Instagram post from a second influencer, Souhila Ben Lachhab, the Algerian woman can be seen wearing half blackface.  An incensed Instagram poster called her display “truly disrespectful” adding, “you’re doing BLACKFACE.”   In another post shared by Instagram user @fantasticfhd, a photo can be seen of the influencer wearing blackface, with his lighter-colored hands (without makeup) seen resting on his face and chest.

Saleh and Ben Lachhab are not the first to spark outrage over blackface.  Earlier this month, a teen TikTokker received backlash over a minstrel-show evoking makeup tutorial.  A another influencer, Rashmi Zurail Mann, posted a blackface makeup tutorial to her Instagram, account, which she has since deleted after being called out by a popular satirist and socio-political account known as Saint Hoax.

“Many ‘influencers’ have been sharing photos of themselves wearing blackface as an act of

solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement,” wrote Saint Hoax. “Even after receiving backlash, some are still refusing to take down their posts.  How can you ‘spread awareness’ about a subject you know so little about?” continued Saint Hoax. “If you genuinely care about a cause, the least you can do is educate yourself about it.  It’s infuriating that we still need to educate people about the racist and painful history of blackface,” the account added. “We shouldn’t be having this conversation in 2020.”

The Instagram post included several additional photos of screenshots of the influencers’ blackface social media posts, one of which, included the aforementioned @fantasticfhd, who has since made his account “private” after being called out by Saint Hoax.  Please everyone-- educate yourself about the history of blackface and understand why it is deeply offensive.