18/10/21

Everybody wants to be Black, until it’s time to be Black.

What is ‘Blackfishing?’

The term Catfishing has become well known around the world, thanks to the Catfish documentary and TV show. Most people now know that catfishing means to pretend to be someone you’re not, usually online. This could mean using fake pictures or making up a completely different personality.

The term ‘Blackfishing’ might not be as well known, but it shares a similar meaning to catfish – it refers to someone who uses things like hairstyling and makeup to create and enhance certain features to make it appear as if they have black heritage or are racially ambiguous. The term is often used to describe behaviour by white entertainers, in particular, who appear to be imitating the appearance of Black people.

It's not a compliment.

The term stems from the racist practice of blackface, which involves putting on dark makeup to mock the features of a Black person, often for comedic effect. Like blackface, blackfishing also treats Black features as a costume that can be removed at will. Blackfishing is a racial masquerade that operates as a form of racial fetishism.

Former NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal, who changed her name to Nkechi Amare Diallo made international news in 2015 when her parents outed her as a white woman. Rachael Dolezal is an example of a white woman constructing Blackness to benefit herself. Dolezal received a full scholarship to Howard University, a historically black university. For years, Rachel Dolezal manipulated her friends and co-workers to believe she was a black woman. Dolezal sported tight coily hair, wore braids and stayed away from her natural blonde European hair. This is not an isolated incident though, racial justice activist Satchuel Cole undertook the same sad, confusing lie to gain access to and influence in progressive Black spaces.

From activism to entertainment, Iggy Azalea, the Australian hip hop star has drawn criticism for her look in a new music video titled “I am The Strip Club”. Kim Kardashian is no stranger to such criticism. Many have accused her of sporting ‘blackface’ in a series of magazine covers and ads for her makeup line.

Ariana Grande. Emma Hallberg. Jessica Krug. Rita Ora. Addison Rae and more.

It is argued that when white entertainers and media influences appear to be mixed or racially ambiguous, it can benefit their popularity and career prospects by creating marketing opportunities for them because they are considered exotic and stylish. There are people who are deliberate and diabolical in their attempt to advance their career and feel entitled to use Black culture for social currency and monetary gain.

Let’s be real. Many of us will remember (and still experience) there being this fixation of the idea of being ‘mixed’ and being considered ‘exotic’ if you were mixed. This was praised and desired within the Black community and this very quickly became the unofficial standard of beauty. It was preferred by boys, men, women, and girls.

But it works to the detriment of Black people, because in many spaces, they are not viewed the same way with similar natural features. A combination of fake nails, hoop earrings, colourful weave, gold teeth, big lips were demonised and laughed at. This style is considered ‘ghetto’ on black women, ‘chic’ on whites. There is a specific power dynamic in our society that implies aspects of racial culture must be validated by those with status for them to be considered positive of valuable.

Blackfishing is an issue because it allows a person to pick and choose the ‘cool’ parts of being black, without facing any of the discrimination that black people do. Everybody wants to be Black, until it’s time to be Black.

By Ahecia Taylor,

Ahecia is a Lecturer in Business Management, Chair of the Business School EDI committee and co-founder of the School’s JEDI (Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion) programme, which is aimed at students and staff in the School.