Jesy Nelson responds to blackfishing accusations following backlash

23 August 2021, 12:54

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By Jazmin Duribe

In May, a viral article detailed Jesy's lengthy and problematic history of blackfishing.

Jesy Nelson has finally responded to accusations of blackfishing following backlash.

The term "blackfishing" is used to describe when white people change their appearance to appear more Black or racially ambiguous.

In May, the former Little Mix singer – who quit the band in December last year – was at the centre of a blackfishing controversy. Although Little Mix fans and those who had followed Jesy since The X Factor know she is white, some only just discovered her ethnicity, believing her to be mixed race because of her appearance. A now-deleted viral article, titled Dear Little Mix Fans, We Need To Hold Jesy Nelson Accountable, also detailed how Jesy's physical changes over the years could be deemed problematic.

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That wasn't the first instance Jesy had been accused of blackfishing, though. For a while now, some have noted how much Jesy's skin colour has change since her stint on The X Factor. In fact, in some images, she's darker than Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thrilwall, who are both mixed race.

Jesy has never commented on the backlash…until now. In a new interview with The Guardian, Jesy finally addressed the blackfishing criticism. "I would never want to offend anyone, and that was really upsetting. I wasn’t aware that’s how people felt," Jesy stated. The publication also noted that she sounded "bewildered by the allegation".

Although Jesy seemed stunned by the blackfishing criticism others have insisted that there's no way she could have not noticed. Apparently, Jesy has previously blocked accounts that mentioned blackfishing in her Instagram comments.

One Little Mix fan account tweeted: "It’s funny how she said she wasn’t aware of the situation yet she continued to block POC fans who were trying to educate her." While another added: "Also just wanna say Jesy Nelson is a boldfaced liar! 'I didn't know people felt that way about her blackfishing.' OH BUT YOU KNEW! you blocked anyone who brought it up and limited your comments, so you KNEW people felt that way!"