Blackfishing and Tanning

Blackfishing is a trend that involves White girls trying to pass as Black (posting pictures with darker-toned skin and curly hair). A Twitter user mentioned that White girls passing as Black can be problematic and these girls should better use their time to address injustices and discrimination that actual Black people face. One way this is typically done is through tanning. 

Recently, you may have seen influencers have on a darker tan shade which gives them an appearance of having Black features.  Blackfishing isn’t a new thing and many celebrities such as the Kardashians are prone to doing this and adopting Black features. These trends are dangerous and very insensitive considering that women of colour have been mocked for these features and discriminated against for centuries. White women who are privileged are not discriminated for these features when they blackfish and it is hurtful for women of colour. For instance, Ariana Grande (who we all love and is a queen) is known to remove features that she does not like (women of colour are not granted this similar privilege) via plastic surgery or other means (darker tan, trying a different hairstyle, etc). While it may be unintentional (based on a lot of prominent celebrities and influencers doing this type of practice), it is still important to raise awareness for this. 

Emma Hallberg, a 19-year old, has also been trying to appear Black by doing a very heavy self-tan and going for the curlier hairstyle. Dr. Aria Halliday, an assistant professor of Africana feminisms at the University of New Hampshire, said that this type of blackfishing might be an extension of blackface. This practice involves using race as a costume (using makeup to appear as part of an entirely different culture or ethnicity).

This is also a common practice among the Pakistani and South Asian population who are naturally dark, but still resort to tanning and other practices to appear darker which gives them an appearance of being Black. Another student, Aga Brzostowska, was labelled as a Blackfish. 

Again, these practices are dangerous and invalidate Black women. Many of them cannot wear an afro or braids because they are viewed as unprofessional and disorganized in the workplace. As such, many have to straighten their hair to fit into the workplace. This may also be rooted in an insecurity to change their appearance, racial fetishizing, and viewing Blackness as a commodity that can easily be adopted.   Thus, it is important to listen to the concerns of women of colour and adopt a lighter tanning shade, avoid getting surgery to get Black-like features, and braiding your hair to mimic Black women. If you don’t know a lot about this topic this article has various resources that you can check out. By listening to Black women and other persons of colour, we can prevent young and impressionable girls from engaging in this practice in the future while also validating women of colour.  

• black lives matter
• blackfishing
• tanning