Digital Blackface, Blackfishing, and Transracial Identity

Echoes on Air

Janelle and Chris talk with Tiffany Agard and Eric Keeton about "Digital Blackface", "Black Fishing", and "Transracial identity". Realizing these terms can sometimes overlap, they identify the definitions as follows: "Digital Blackface" refers to white/non-Black people using GIFs, memes, emoji, and other images of Black people to express various emotional reactions online. Transracial people are individuals who assert a racial identity for themselves which differs from their birth race. “Blackfishing” is a term used to describe someone accused of pretending to be Black on social media by using makeup, hair products and in some cases, surgery to drastically change their appearance. The cast discusses these definitions, possible concerns, the historical predecessors, and if they really have any issue with it at all. Videos referred to in the episode: https://youtu.be/Cyq6fTYxztc https://youtu.be/5qm0LwUHDqE https://youtu.be/WRn4XYWP8IE