Dixie D'Amelio responds to "blackfishing" accusations following backlash

8 September 2020, 12:14

Charli D'Amelio buys sister Dixie $30,000 birthday gift

By Jazmin Duribe

"I never want to hurt or offend anyone. ever. I love you all and i hope y’all know i never have bad intentions ever."

Dixie D'Amelio has seemingly addressed accusations that she has been "blackfishing" after photos began to circulate of the YouTuber and TikTok star looking a lot more tanned than usual.

For those of you that don't know, blackfishing is a term used to describe how white people manipulate their features (like excessive tanning) to appear more racially ambiguous in the hope of capitalising off of it. Some even consider it to be equivalent to modern day blackface.

Basically, the accusations started when a screenshot taken from Dixie's Instagram Story emerged. The image is a side-by-side of Dixie appearing more pale in one photo and noticeably more tanned in the other. The photo also included colour swatches next to both images to demonstrate how different her skin tone was.

Dixie was soon hit with backlash and fans urged her to issue an apology.

when will u apologize for this?????? pic.twitter.com/DSl2ImO3JH
— ★ (@CardiBthequeen1) September 6, 2020

dixie we know, we're just trying to educate you so you don't make the same mistake again ok? but dixie what you said was great, but we at least expected you to apologize. it is not that this is enough, but we expected you to put the word "sorry" at the end. say apologize, ily :(
— duda៹ hates cacau (@dixie94s) September 6, 2020

i love you, but you should apologize love, you offended people
— le (@safeslwis) September 6, 2020

Others, however, insisted that Dixie was not blackfishing.

Some even thought the image was made darker to incite backlash.

chile ignore them—— it’s always the non black ppl abusing the word blackfishing... and it’s honestly harmful to the black community because it’s taking away from the validity of it... it was lichrally the lighting and camera that was used. this was posted on the same day. pic.twitter.com/K9WhvQtYhA
— 𝘔 🧸 (@_charliangel_) September 6, 2020

you’re a dumbass if you think dixie was blackfishing
— Ellie (@chiledixison) September 6, 2020

if you’re white and you asked dixie to apologize to you about blackfishing. lmao what are you doing? and on top of that if you posted that dixie dmed you and treated it like a notice, you’re a performative activist. 🤷🏽‍♀️ what is she apologizing to you for? lmao.
— 𝘔 🧸 (@_charliangel_) September 6, 2020

Dixie has now appeared to respond to the criticism, although she did not explicitly mention blackfishing. She tweeted: "I never want to hurt or offend anyone. Ever. I love you all and I hope y’all know I never have bad intentions ever."

I never want to hurt or offend anyone. ever. I love you all and i hope y’all know i never have bad intentions ever🖤
— dixie (@dixiedamelio) September 6, 2020