In the past year, Black girls have made a name for themselves on TikTok, a lip-syncing app that merges Vine’s short comical videos with Tumblr’s progressive spin. Using TikTok, they have launched social movements, books, record deals, jobs, and lucrative startups. Still, the app has also exposed several issues that impact Black women and their experiences.
Intersectionality
Despite the positive influence that Black women have on TikTok, many users have noted an increase in racial and gender harassment. Often, the harassment comes from trolls who post racist comments and harassing content. Other times, it can come from people who don’t understand Black culture’s context or are genuinely curious. Regardless of the nature of the comment, a large portion of these attacks come from kids under 13, who cannot comment or post their content on TikTok due to their inability to use an actual birthdate.
Intra-communal violence against Black Women by Black men
Although these comments don’t happen as frequently on TikTok as on other social media platforms, it’s essential to recognize Black men’s role in intra-communal violence against Black women. This can include physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual violence, and even death.
A large body of research indicates that these types of abuse are common amongst Black men, with some studies showing that as many as 40% of all cases of sexual violence against Black women involve Black men. In addition, a large body of evidence links these types of violence to colonialism.
Good morning let’s talk intersectionality, intra-communal violence against Black Women by Black men and the domestic terrorist organizations they represent https://t.co/RPn9SLPzjr pic.twitter.com/2bTLPcC1Fh
— Lady Whistledown in the Hood (@colorfullstory) March 20, 2023
Domestic Terrorism
If we look at the definition of domestic terrorism, we can see that it requires a significant degree of political activity and involves non-state actors. In addition, Black Lives Matter protests meet the first two criteria. Still, many violent incidents at these rallies are simply opportunistic looting and property destruction rather than violence on a large scale.
Moreover, Black Lives Matter isn’t an official organization that adheres to a particular ideology, and the protests have been peaceful, with few participants being arrested or charged with violent crimes. Labeling the movement as a terrorist organization is a falsehood that should be avoided.
The #blackgirlfollowtrain trend has succeeded, with hundreds of thousands of Black women participating in the viral dance challenge. But the trend has prompted some criticism from Black TikTokers, who believe the dance doesn’t accurately reflect their community. In the wake of this, TikTokers have formed a strike that will not allow them to make content on the app until it has been changed.
Some Black creators who have seen their videos go viral are upset that they were not credited for their work. Some have taken to their platforms to ask their followers to support them in their fight for recognition.
This issue is not new to TikTok and has been an ongoing problem for many Black users on the platform. In the past, the app and its users have tried to address the issue by encouraging videos with DC (dance credit) or IB (inspired by) in the caption.
