I downloaded this app that supposed to help you create social media posts. You know the type right? Anyone who does social media marketing should be aware of these.
Anyway, I usually use Canva to make my posts but now with Instagram being all, "You don't even go here," to my web-based social media apps that I use on my desktop, I decided to download something on my phone.
I mean, it's fun to play around with these apps and you can use your own photos...but, however, yet and nevertheless...I have a huge beef with all-a-dem.
The stock photos all have the same white, slim, blonde blue-eyed girl or dark-haired white blue eyes man, in them.
Like, it's not even funny and I wish I was exaggerating.
I just tried to search 'Haitian Zombies' on Canva and I still got white people in zombie costumes.
I remember that I went on Adazing once to get those mockups, you know the ones where your book cover is photoshopped in photos of people on picnics, the library, whatever? They wanted me to pay $60 for that shit and all the models were white.
What?
I actually wrote to them complaining and you know what? They've expanded their repertoire since. There are actually black and Asian people on there now. Not saying I did that but I definitely contributed.
I've been following this mess that happened with the Romance Writers Association where one of their writers of colour was punished for pointing out racist shit in a white writer's story. The WoC was suspended until twitter got involved. Then everyone started resigning from the organization, which then 'unsuspended' the writer of colour. It was a mess. All the officeholders quit. It was a bloodbath. People were finally talking openly about the different ways that writers of color get a raw deal in the romance writing world.
It was beautiful.
Now I am no stranger to being penalized for pushing back against Karen's telling me my views are rude because they differ from theirs, so I can totally relate. What annoys me is the gaslighting. The 'it's not what you said, it's how you said it, I don't see what the problem is' attitude.
I'm an honest and straightforward person. It annoys me more that people try to prevaricate about their racism, more than the racism itself. If you're going to be prejudiced, then wear it proudly on your sleeve. Stop trying to pretend it's something else.
I was talking to one of my internet mentors, "Black Freelance Association" a while back about how hard it was to get the same rates as someone in the West when it comes to romance writing. She told me that there is a lot of racism in the sector. I didn't really believe her because I've been ghostwriting romances for years and getting clients if not the top tier. But after this whole fiasco came out, and people started telling their stories, I realized that not just as a ghostwriter but also as an author with a the last name 'Musawale' I have been handicapped.
Sometimes you're so used to being crippled you don't even notice anymore.
A simple thing like creating a social media post from an app becomes twice as hard because you have to either take your own photos (and I'm no photographer) or google images that might not even be licensed for use.
Have you tried to google 'African'? You will be shocked to find that most of the images which come up are white. If there's a secret place y'all get your black people stock photos, please share.
Anyway, I usually use Canva to make my posts but now with Instagram being all, "You don't even go here," to my web-based social media apps that I use on my desktop, I decided to download something on my phone.
I mean, it's fun to play around with these apps and you can use your own photos...but, however, yet and nevertheless...I have a huge beef with all-a-dem.
The stock photos all have the same white, slim, blonde blue-eyed girl or dark-haired white blue eyes man, in them.
Like, it's not even funny and I wish I was exaggerating.
I remember that I went on Adazing once to get those mockups, you know the ones where your book cover is photoshopped in photos of people on picnics, the library, whatever? They wanted me to pay $60 for that shit and all the models were white.
What?
I actually wrote to them complaining and you know what? They've expanded their repertoire since. There are actually black and Asian people on there now. Not saying I did that but I definitely contributed.
I've been following this mess that happened with the Romance Writers Association where one of their writers of colour was punished for pointing out racist shit in a white writer's story. The WoC was suspended until twitter got involved. Then everyone started resigning from the organization, which then 'unsuspended' the writer of colour. It was a mess. All the officeholders quit. It was a bloodbath. People were finally talking openly about the different ways that writers of color get a raw deal in the romance writing world.
It was beautiful.
I'm an honest and straightforward person. It annoys me more that people try to prevaricate about their racism, more than the racism itself. If you're going to be prejudiced, then wear it proudly on your sleeve. Stop trying to pretend it's something else.
I was talking to one of my internet mentors, "Black Freelance Association" a while back about how hard it was to get the same rates as someone in the West when it comes to romance writing. She told me that there is a lot of racism in the sector. I didn't really believe her because I've been ghostwriting romances for years and getting clients if not the top tier. But after this whole fiasco came out, and people started telling their stories, I realized that not just as a ghostwriter but also as an author with a the last name 'Musawale' I have been handicapped.
A simple thing like creating a social media post from an app becomes twice as hard because you have to either take your own photos (and I'm no photographer) or google images that might not even be licensed for use.
Have you tried to google 'African'? You will be shocked to find that most of the images which come up are white. If there's a secret place y'all get your black people stock photos, please share.
No comments:
Post a Comment