by
Black Girl With Long Hair
The advancement of black people in America has often involved allies — from Quaker abolitionists in the 1700s to white members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, to non-black protesters for Black Lives Matter.
But a curious phenomenon is developing — the social media ally; advocates who are parlaying their love of black folks into large social media followings, speaking opportunities and even merchandise.
Jacob Mason, founder of SwirlMingle.com, has created a brand out of loving black women and has more than 54,000 Instagram followers.
Sam White, a Spring ’14 initiate of the black Kappa fraternity at Villanova University, achieved social media stardom when a video of him doing the fraternity’s shimmy went viral.
He now has 61,000 Twitter fans and his own website which includes an events schedule.
And we recently profiled Russell Schiller, who did a photo series dedicated to black women’s beauty at Howard University, the HBCU where he attends. He used the coverage of his photo series to promote his photography business, which now has an Instagram following of 18,000.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with publicly supporting black women in particular and black people in general, but it is a bit disconcerting that doing this affords non-blacks lucrative platforms that black folks doing similar things don’t have access to.
It also speaks to a deep schism within black culture. We claim to know that we are lit, magic and that we slay — which we DO — but we are deeply shocked when others see that in us and publicly proclaim it, to the point that we will elevate them out of our gratitude.
What do you think ladies? Is there anything wrong with creating a brand out of advocating for black women?
34 Responses
i don’t get it either, why white folks are put on a pedestal, while woke Black folks are ignored altogether
My mother and all of my aunts are married to white men who ADORE AND WORSHIP the ground they walk on………whats so wrong with a white man loving a black woman? I am the ONLY black grandchild that my BIRACIAL grandmother has…….and from what i can see……aint too many black men interested in the black woman for the long term……nor do they straight worship nonetheless RESPECT the black women they are with or have been with. My mother and all my aunts have ONLY dated black men before they decided to go ahead and marry white men…..i actually asked my mother the other day hat made her change her perspective on whom to date and she simply said this:
“At first when i met Paul (my stepdad) i was like, I dont know, I dont think I can date a white guy, thats just not my type……but then i though about all my past relationships and how they ended and decided……maybe it is time to try something new because my “type” sucks! I am truly a lucky woman to have met Paul and am truly blessed to have met someone to love me as much as he does!!! I would have never imagined this would be the kind of relationship i would have ended up in, but I wouldnt change it for ANYTHING!”
idk….take that and chew on it for a while.
(*and for the record, my mom and all my aunts were also the first black women that their husbands had ever dated! When my mom married my step father (his mother is like ultra christian) she swore that we were the makings of satan lol, im not going to say that she now completely agrees with their relationship (despite the fact that it is 2 children and almost 20 years later lol) but she has accepted that this is the woman my stepdad loves, and WE ARE his family! I am his daughter just as well as my little sister and he is my dad which is way more than i can say for my biological one!!!)
That guy is a fraud. As usual profiting off the backs of the black women.I in no way or shape condone this nonsense and wish other so called blacks would open their eyes and not play into this trap.
No one but self-hating white men and self-hating black women would approve of this shit.
The fact is, we as black women are giving these white men praise for viewing black women as beautiful, as if we don’t believe that we are beautiful our OWN selves, and require someone white to offer approval. Personally, I’m down for anyone who’s down for me, but some of these white men are merely preying on the self-hate in our community of black women to get more retweets and followers. Sure, there are some that are genuine, but those men don’t post random “I love black women ” posts. They show it through supporting us in our issues.
I trully find offensive call black women chocolate,what’s mean for them? We are not human just because we have dark skin?
If white men benefit from elevating us, how is that economically different from slavery or reconstruction when white men became rich off of our backsides? I am not about it. Thank you! Mr White man, for finally figuring out what we already knew. Move along
Felt compelled to comment because this is a topic I speak about often. Men like Jacob Mason are full of crap. Notice how he only supports blackness when it’s femme centered. Meaning his support comes from his attraction with means it is fraudulent. Those are the same type of non black men who will elevate themselves because they tweet about how attracted they are to us and the condemn black men for “not appreciating” us (when black men are a product of a system white men created so when white men do this it burns me up). Now Sam White is different in my opinion. I’ve actually never even seen him say anything about black women as far as attraction. I have always seen him speak about blackness as far as our humanity NOT our bodies. He speaks about various issues in a way that shows he supports humanity.
The best thing is just to ignore them, these white men are just looking for validation from “black women”, someone forgot the history between white man and black woman in American history? Today is not much different except that the times are changed! A good question would be ask to these white men, what they think of the many lives of many black women who have been ripped off by white men?
Because black women aren’t exotic animals, to be included in circus or shows like Sarah Baartman for a whim to satisfy bored white men in search of freak!
Please don’t start with this words “we are all human beings, and love has no color!” Because here you go right down to the ridiculous!
All about “white validation” sister.
https://ThySistas.com
I find this man and his activities very cringe worthy. he gives me the creeps.
The only problem I have.. is with the people who have a problem with this! I mean my goodness, its like people can’t win. Say something negative about B Women and you’re racist, say something positive/uplifting and you’re a parasite.
Unbelievable.
Honestly, I don’t care if he’s profiting. Maybe he should. Maybe its about time that people profited from spreading a POSITIVE message instead of a destructive Real Housewives of Foolishness message.
Its about time if you ask me. Big Up to these fellas and any others spreading an uplifting message of unity, diversity and inclusion.
Black people care a lot about what white people think but white people care little to nothing about what black people think.This is a blackspace specifically for BW where we are supposed to see positive representations of ourselves but again the center of attention has gone back to white people specifically WM.BW,why? Why do you care about anything that comes out of a white man’s mouth negative or positive.As a 16 yr black girl,you can never convice that a WM cares abt BW and the Black family,while you can never convince me that a BM doesn’t care abt BW or the black family.
Who taught you to hate yourself?From the top of your head to the sole if your feet?- Malcolm X
I’ll add a little more to Malcolm x great speech,
Who taught BM to hate their features and their women’s features?
Who taught BM that the most beautiful women are blue-eyed blonde WM and that BW are beneath WW aesthically?
Who told taught BM that the pinnacle of womanhood and feminity are WW?
Who raped BW while their Black husbands could do nothing to protect them?
Who lynched BW husbands,sons,uncles and nephews?
WHITE MEN.
Black women to get some self-esteem and that racism isn’t going anywhere.
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place on this issue. Us black women don’t have it easy. Ok maybe these white men ( and other non black men, I have seen a few vids from asian guys on you tube) are lauding us and making money in the process. But I haven’ t seen many “brothers” champion us ( Damion Kare maybe?). In fact some black men have made a business on youtube of spewing their hatred of black women: these men act like they don’t have a black mother (*sigh*). These same men who hate us get mad when non black men show interest in us: ok we get it, you don’t like us but leave us alone! Black men are sniffing (in) the Kardashian’s trash, non black men have an agenda if they celebrate our beauty and black women are called all sorts if we show self confidence. Will we win this battle?
There’s always someone who completely misses the point
Really? Please enlighten me…
Smdh! Please don’t fall for this..
“It also speaks to a deep schism within black culture. We claim to know that we are lit, magic and that we slay — which we DO — but we are deeply shocked when others see that in us and publicly proclaim it, to the point that we will elevate them out of our gratitude.”
This paragraph is telling just by itself ,actually. I remember when Jacob Mason really began to rise in popularity on Youtube. I even watched an interview out of curiosity. I also remember a lot of Black people on YouTube making a HUGE deal out of it. It was weird. From that, I can’t even give these White boys the side eye. Give the side eye to the folk who were so quick to jump in with excitement and help turn him into a brand (even though I am aware that he made his own website).
On one end it’s totally fine to be happy when someone appreciates your beauty (even if that person doesn’t look like you ). But on the opposite extreme, some of which we’re seeing here, it can look as if there wasn’t really any genuine confidence in being “lit” or “magical” in the first place.
Creating a brand for yourself out of any supposedly selfless cause is pretty disgusting, imo. Instead of spreading the simple message that ‘Black women are beautiful (too, for all you nitpickers)’, it seems more like a way for them to bring attention to themselves and their cool, niche(lol) interests.
Or maybe their interest is genuine and they feel like they can speak more prominently about it because of our movement? If so, good for them, I guess?
Either way, I feel like a lot of people are trying to manipulate and/or profit from our newly found energy and ‘magic’ because it’s pure.
Our confidence and self appreciation comes from a place where most people in the US (only country I can speak for) would say it shouldn’t: the black, feminine image, and nobody is quite sure what to make of it.
I also want to argue that many people might just consider our movement to be the next new ‘fad/thing’, but I’m too tired to go into the discussion of how Blackness is removed from Black culture and rediscovered by White people for White people, as it might pertain to this situation.
TLDR; We shouldn’t be lifting guys like these up above our own newly discovered self worth and image, that’s entirely counter productive, but we shouldn’t necessarily condemn them, either.
Sad but true we shouldn’t do this why do we as a people do this.
I guess some of them had genuine intentions at the beginning and along the way there was opportunity for making money, for me that’s killing two birds with one stone
I personally don’t think the guys do this with intentions of creating a brand out of advocating black women. I follow the guy who created swirl mingle, and it just seems to me that he’s just really into interracial relationships.
I absolutely agree and I wrote about this on my art blog (www.ojoagi.com). I’ve noted quite a few white artists are able to achieve international acclaim once they start painting black subjects. Not to say they are not talented, but it’s specifically their work with black people (and the curiosity of a white person willingly associating with blackness and, in many cases, going as far as to become the new spokesperson for racism) that garners them success. It bothers me deeply but I can’t fully put it into words. It should be a good thing but my cynicism sees it as a capitalistic opportunity …
isn’t this what others have been doing to us for decades. making a profit off our culture, bodies and minds?
Just another way for White people to come up off Black people. Why do White people, especially White men, think that we need their approval? That without it, we don’t view ourself as beautiful, human, and worthy of being loved?
It only goes to show how gullible some Black women are, and how were so desperate to get praise and attention from anyone that are willing to accept it from imposters….sad stuff
I always cringe when I see Black women getting googly eyed for these white boys on social media sites. in 5 years they’ll end up marrying a white woman…
THIS! THIS RIGHT HERE! Your comment is soooooooooo gold! So on point! I was just thinking that exact phrase about some Black women the other day. Googly-Eyed. It’s downright embarrassing. I cringe at it.
I have seen it time and time again on a lot of these “swirl” Youtube videos. The comment section wreaks of them. They’re like leeches, looking to jump and suck at every opportunity.
A White guy would comment something like “I’m a white guy who is really attracted to Dark-skinned black women who are into playing video games”
Almost like a slave auction (though auctioning off themselves) swarms of Black women come replying like “Chocolate gamer over here” or “Hey! I’m black and I love video games!”
Soooooooooo thirsty! Soooooooooo desperate! Sooooo….ugh!
Once again, it’s not everyone. And not every White guy is malicious. People should fall in love with who they want to. But with all this “magic” and “lit” and “flexin’ my melanin” stuff all over Social media, you can’t help but wonder if for a good amount of some of these people it is really nothing more than a trend or fad to follow to make oneself feel better.
I hate it. And i hate black women that swarm all over the first non black thing to finds them attractive. It’s pathetic. This is coming from a black woman. I totally support black women dating who ever they please outside their race but if i had a nickle for every time no mater what the appearance a dude, lets say a white dude (black woman gold) finds black women attractive,(Don’t miss and let the news that he has a black ex gf get out either) ALL BLACK WOMEN within a 10 mile radius will be in line to ride his dick. It’s a good gig for men who just wanna get laid i guess. And i know white men like that. They make me sick too. Date a guy because you like them but not because he’s the first non black dude to approach you and you wanna date him cause he’s… white or asian or what ever. I see a lot of that and those are usually the women who end up single, or with a bright skin baby and no man but they don’t care cause thank god the lord blessed them with a bright skin baby with “good hair”…..
In the name of keeping it real, I applaud you! So true!
sometimes i find some of your articles disturbing. you dig too deep and sometimes highlight things that can stir up hatred in the mind of the readers. please be careful
I appreciate the support and respect of our light-skinned fellow humans but let’s not laud somebody for doing what they are supposed to. Acknowledging our humanity is the rule NOT the exception.
Not today Satan. Not today.
I elevate anyone who elevates me. It’s like the local neighborhood restaurant in your city. Everyone who lives there might know that they have the best food, hands down, no question. Rave about it, write songs about it, etc. So, when I meet someone from a different neighborhood who eats there too, my shock isn’t because the food isn’t the bomb diggity (still is), it’s because I genuinely wasn’t expecting them to agree…simply because they aren’t from where I’m from. Didn’t even realize they were checking for other cuisine. It’s as simple as that, sometimes. Sorry for the food metaphor. Clearly our essence is not for consumption. That’s just my take. I’m guessing that it might be equivalent to the fame that vocal Black Trump supporters get from his followers when they show up with one of his t-shirts on. They are shocked because it’s unexpected…but even without that support, they’d still believe everything that fool said.
To each his own. I’m glad these men know what they like and go for it.