Blackfishing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
What is Blackfishing?
In 2018, Wanna Thompson coined the term Blackfishing when she saw an increase in the number of white women cosplaying black women on the internet. In an interview with CNN, she describes black fishing as “when White public figures, influencers and the like do everything in their power to appear, Black, whether that means to tan their skin excessively in an attempt to achieve ambiguity and wear hairstyles and clothing trends that have been pioneered by Black women”. The problem with this is the ability of these ‘performers’ to participate and in some ways attempt to own black culture when it is convenient. The problem with blackfishing is not just that it is a form of cultural appropriation. It is also a form of deception. By pretending to be Black or mixed-race, blackfishers are taking advantage of the positive associations that people have with Blackness, such as authenticity, creativity, and resilience without experiencing the horrors or disadvantages of actually being black.
‘Everyone wants to be black until it’s time to be black”
— Paul Wall
Blackfishing is not a new problem. Many have likened it to blackface which was a popular form of entertainment in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Blackface…
