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dancedva Author

Level 1

4 points

“Blackface” emoji menu icon - WTF!!!

Why is the icon to access the emoji menu in messenger showing up in “blackface”

iPhone 12

Posted on Oct 18, 2021 1:23 PM

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dancedva Author

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Nov 17, 2021 8:44 AM

I’d be fine with a black smiley face. However, this is not a black smiley face. A black smiley face would not have the exaggerated wide lips. It would be a dark face with a single white line for the lips. This icon, however, is reminiscent of the extremely racist “blackface” that white “minstrels” would wear to characterize black people as cartoonish and less than human.

Version 15.1 appears to have resolved this for me as well.

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dancedva Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2021 8:44 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

I’d be fine with a black smiley face. However, this is not a black smiley face. A black smiley face would not have the exaggerated wide lips. It would be a dark face with a single white line for the lips. This icon, however, is reminiscent of the extremely racist “blackface” that white “minstrels” would wear to characterize black people as cartoonish and less than human.

Version 15.1 appears to have resolved this for me as well.

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Oct 18, 2021 1:27 PM in response to dancedva

The fact that the icon is black does not mean it's "blackface", a very loaded term.

What app are you looking at? What version of iOS?

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dancedva Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 9, 2021 12:53 PM in response to Dvpagnotta

As an anti-racist, this is extremely offensive to me whether it's an accident or not. It needs to be corrected.

It appeared with an upgrade on or around October 16th. I'm now on 15.02 and it appears to have been corrected.

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Nov 7, 2021 8:16 AM in response to dancedva

Apple has now fixed this - with iOS 15.1

At least on my iPhone. I'm hoping on all.

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Level 1

8 points

Nov 11, 2021 1:15 PM in response to dancedva

I’ve got 15.02 and mine is still “blackface”.

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Level 10

196,233 points

Nov 11, 2021 1:18 PM in response to ewaltrip

ewaltrip wrote:

I’ve got 15.02 and mine is still “blackface”.

Then update to the current version... 15.1 is newer than 15.0.2.

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Nov 11, 2021 2:27 PM in response to KiltedTim

yes, update to 15.1. That is the newest version and no longer has the blackface icon.

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Nov 13, 2021 10:13 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

How do I change back to original. I am offended and disrespect this change advise please

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Nov 13, 2021 10:39 AM in response to Professordaysgoneby

What IOS system are you on? We are finding that the latest upgrade, 15.1, eliminates the blackface icon.

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Nov 17, 2021 6:59 AM in response to Professordaysgoneby

Professordaysgoneby wrote:

How do I change back to original. I am offended and disrespect this change advise please

So, if all the icons are white, it's not racist?

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Nov 17, 2021 8:15 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

You just don’t get it do you. I am brown!

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Nov 17, 2021 8:38 AM in response to Professordaysgoneby

Professordaysgoneby wrote:

You just don’t get it do you. I am brown!

Yes, I get that some people think that an icon with a black face is the same thing as "blackface".

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Nov 17, 2021 8:47 AM in response to dancedva

Yes, I understand what your opinion is. And yes, I know what "blackface" is.

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“Blackface” emoji menu icon - WTF!!!

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