Black people, women, transgender folks, and other marginalized groups have shown the forefront of internet culture over the last decade. From blackpeopletwitter, to tumblr memes, tiktok trends. White people (men especially) have been used to their frat boy apartheid internet, but the times are a-changing. And nothing says “internet culture” like emojis, and some aren’t meant for white people to appropriate. Here’s a list of emojis that aren’t meant for white people to use
1. 🦁
Used by Black women to signify their inner lioness. Used by Black kings. Not for white folks. Pick a white European animal please.
2. 👌
Does this need explaining? … Well if you don’t know, it’s because you don’t wanna know. Might as well used the Nazi flag.
3. 🤌
White people, let the Italians have this one. They had to suffer centuries of oppression, and their culture, like Black culture, is very hand sign based.
4. 🏳️🌈
White men, you had your turn. The LGBTQIA+ group was dominated by white men, but it took the transgender and queer folks to bring “gay” marriage to the USA. Next up, the polyamorous!
5. 🐼
Asian, Chinese, and Korean people use this to signify heritage. It isn’t for you whites
6. 🔥
A new album is a banger? Fam made a lit meme? This is one of the first mainstream internet culture provided to us by the BIPOC folks. When white people use this, it just reminds us all of the KKK
7. 🏈🏀
White people, we know you will let the world burn as long as you have your sports. When we see this in your twitter bio, you might as well say “OH I don’t see color”.
8. ♿
Yes, I see people use this. No, they are not differently abled.
9. ♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒♓⛎
Black Egyptians invented horoscopes. Just because you are a basic bitch in college doesn’t mean you get to abuse a system Black people made to understand and explain our world.
10. 😂
From the shores of Twitter to the Facebook feed, this “ubiquitous emoji” is everywhere. As is rap songs. Doesn’t mean you can say the n-word. I cringe evertime a White boy posts this to his “homies”.
