With the rise of short-form video content, there are even more things to be aware of when creating content. Dances, voice-overs, trends, pranks, there is a LOT going on with TikTok and Instagram reels.
Cute and viral videos have been making their rounds through these popular apps, but there is a dark side to video creation. I am talking about cultural appropriation and microaggressions.
Here are some concerning trends I’ve noticed:
- Non-Black people putting on a “blaccent” (Black accent) or extra attitude in order to act out a trendy voiceover
- Non-Black people using the N-word in dancing TikToks and trend videos
- Using and amplifying dances and concepts from Black creators without credit.
While Pop culture has greatly influenced the creation and consumption of short-form video content, there is also a need for a deeper level of education on cultural appropriation and racism.
What is cultural appropriation?
Cultural appropriation is defined as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” Via Oxford Dictionary.
This is a great article by Bustle on some common cultural appropriation examples to help you as well.
But what about cultural appreciation?
Cultural appreciation is when you take the time to educate yourself with an intention to broaden your perspective and communicate cross-culturally.
Making a TikTok with a trending audio to sell your latest course or product is usually not a form of cultural appreciation, because there is usually not much thought about the ripple effect of using a potentially offensive audio clip or on giving back to the community.
Basically, cultural appropriation extends very deeply into social media and content. Why? Because Black culture quickly evolves into pop culture. Black people create many of the trends, music, and audios that fuel apps like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
For non-Black creators, posting a TikTok with a ton of finger snapping and neck rolls, with a Black sounding audio is cultural appropriation and a microaggression. It is not only stereotyping what is perceived to be “Black attitude” and mannerisms, but it is also appropriating Black language/AAVE (African-American Vernacular English). When these videos go viral, the creator potentially Black culture to make money through views/brand deals or sell products without experiencing the racism and everyday discrimination that Black folks have had to endure. Using Black culture to make a dollar.
Using songs or voiceovers with the N-word.
We have all seen the City Girls “Let me talk to ‘em” TikTok/Reels trend. In the first few seconds, it says the N word and I have seen about 2000+ videos of non-Black creators using the explicit version without thought.
That is the same as a non-Black person rapping along to the N-word in the car next to your Black friend. That is uncomfortable. That is insensitive. That is a microaggression, which is a form of racism.
Curious about WHY it is not okay for non-Black folks to rap along to the N-word or use it in content creation? Check out this interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates on being intentional about the use of the word, and why Black people own this word.
How can non-Black creators be more mindful of racism and cultural appropriation?
- Check your motivations.
Are you trying to be trendy and go viral, at any cost? Before posting new content or think about who could possibly be offended or hurt by mocking a certain culture or using language that does not belong to you. IF you are a creator doing what you do because everyone else is doing it, I would dig deep and decide if you want to perpetuate these norms.
- Look for the clean version of the song.
It is 2021 and if you look hard enough, you can find the clean versions of songs. Especially, if you are marketing your business, you want to make sure that you are not turning off potential customers by being insensitive to language and using the N-word in the songs you choose. The City Girls are *verrryyy* catchy, but you may want to to skip that trend for your next marketing campaign.
- Be choosy with audio selection.
If using a certain audio is unintentionally paired along with “acting Black or acting ghetto”, remember that is a form of bias. If there is no way to create a trendy video without doing a double snap in the air and walking away, it is time to revisit the audios being used in the video.
Remember, that creating content that circulates on the internet comes with a certain amount of responsibility. A responsibility to understand the cultures who created the original trends and content. And the responsibility to be mindful and accountable for reducing harm by creating harmful content.
What should you do if you have created potentially offensive content?
I recommend taking the piece of content down and explaining to your community of followers why you decided to remove it. Accountability is hard, but I urge you to consider the feelings of your community who may feel excluded by your content.
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If you are a Black creator, entrepreneur or you just have friends doing anything that I mentioned above, please share this article to help explain why these actions are harmful.
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