TikTok’s ‘Check Your Privilege’ Challenge Will You Give You A Much Needed Reality Check
Among demanding justice for victims like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, protestors and activists across the globe are demanding awareness of the privileges that protect non-Black people A new challenge trending on TikTok is pressing users to do just this and it’s worth your participation.
A TikTok user by the name of @boss_bigmamma recently asked users to examine their privileges, and the prejudices they may face due to their race.
Flipping the platform’s popular “put a finger down” game on its head, @boss_bigmamma (whose name is Kenya) used the game to show the discriminations she’s unjustly experienced as a black woman. She then asked other TikTokers to do the same.
Speaking with BuzzFeed News about the now-viral challenge, Kenya said “I know discrimination happens for many reasons, which is why I labeled it ‘check your privilege’ instead of ‘white privilege.” Kenya also said that people who have participated have said that they found the “Check Your Privilege” challenge relatable when it came to instances related to their religion and socioeconomic status.
Kenya’s “put a finger down” experiences as listed in the video are below.
– Put a finger down if you have been called a racial slur.
– Put a finger down if you’ve been followed in a store unnecessarily.
– Put a finger down if someone has crossed the street in order to avoid passing you.
– Put a finger down if you’ve had someone clench their purse in an elevator with you.
– Put a finger down if you’ve had someone step off of an elevator to keep from riding with you.
– Put a finger down if you’ve been accused of not being able to afford something expensive.
– Put a finger down if you’ve had fear in your heart when being stopped by the police.
– Put a finger down if you’ve never been given a pass on a citation you deserved.
– Put a finger down if you have been stopped or detained by police for no valid reason.
– Put a finger down if you have been bullied solely because of your race.
– Put a finger down if you’ve been denied service solely because of the color of your skin.
– Put a finger down if you’ve ever had to teach your children how not to get killed by the police.
Fortunately, quite a few people who are not of color have shared the results of their challenge.
Interracial couples are also highlighting their experiences as well.
Interracial couple Allison Holker and her husband Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss shared the differences they experience due to the color of their skin.