"I’m not a fan of colourism within the Black community. I find it offensive to be seen as ‘not really Black’ because I’m mixed-race." I agree, I'm Black and I found a new kind of "racism" in Africa that I never thought about before, and which explains why while I would always use the "full Black" emoji on WhatsApp, my family in Africa would instead use the "Black but not too Black" emoji instead. (...I don't know how else to describe it, it's not meant to be offensive.)
I came to understand that the reason why I choose the "full Black" emoji is to express that, in Europe where I live, I am Black, period. How dark my Black complexion is has no impact on how I am perceived as a Black man. On the other hand, in Africa or at least in the country am I from, being "too Black" is badly perceived, and that's why my family instead uses the "Black but not too Black" emoji, as to not be part of the "Blacker" class that is looked down upon there.
"I’m not a fan of colourism within the Black community. I find it offensive to be seen as ‘not really Black’ because I’m mixed-race." I agree, I'm Black and I found a new kind of "racism" in Africa that I never thought about before, and which explains why while I would always use the "full Black" emoji on WhatsApp, my family in Africa would instead use the "Black but not too Black" emoji instead. (...I don't know how else to describe it, it's not meant to be offensive.)
I came to understand that the reason why I choose the "full Black" emoji is to express that, in Europe where I live, I am Black, period. How dark my Black complexion is has no impact on how I am perceived as a Black man. On the other hand, in Africa or at least in the country am I from, being "too Black" is badly perceived, and that's why my family instead uses the "Black but not too Black" emoji, as to not be part of the "Blacker" class that is looked down upon there.