Opening Ceremony is pleased to present columnist Alexis Wilkinson’s after-hours thoughts. And you know she has thoughts: the former terror of The Harvard Lampoon and current staff writer for HBO’s Veep, Alexis—with her candor and wit—is our girl crush. Here, “Late-Ish With Alexis” muses on the way ethnic emojis are changing the way we LOL.
Back in April, Apple released the iOs 8.3 update for its devices which finally included a feature users had been suggesting for years: emojis with a variety of skin tones instead of just white. By all accounts, the response was tremendous. From Buzzfeed to Business Insider, outlets reported people happily de-whitening their emoji lives. When I first downloaded the update, my most recently used emojis became a great display of brown hands doing various things instead of the default white hands. “Yes,” I whispered into my display screen, “I am represented. I can finally be as black in this medium as I am in all other mediums. How glorious.” No longer would people of color have to express themselves with emojis the color of a toilet seat. There was a sense of pride in the fact that Apple thought we were important enough to specifically acknowledge. Not only that, there were also same-sex couples! It was a technicolor dream come true.
But this update didn’t just come with benefits to minority racial groups and queer people. It effectively adds a new potentially offensive overtone to every single text! At last, iPhone users can be childish, lewd, and racially insensitive all in literally one swipe. Discerning texters everywhere can take that plain Jane “Ugh lady in front of me can’t drive gtfo” text to the next racist level with an Asian woman emoji followed by that mustached devil mask emoji for emphasis. Get gyped for Christmas? Text Grandma a black Santa with a gun emoji to let her know how you really feel and communicate that you probably were hoping for moonshine or a new set of wheels for your mobile home this year. Nothing will change the world of sexting like racial stereotypes about penis size lovingly enhanced by that priceless gem, the eggplant emoji. In fact, the only people more excited about this update than people of color should be the people of the Aryan brotherhood.
The creative possibilities thus far seem endless as well. I’m partial to the “white person in a turban emoji” when talking about cultural appropriation. My boyfriend likes the “two gay men with their two sons” emoji because he can use it when he means “all-male cult” or “frat beach party.” It should be noted that the same-sex couple options are all strictly the color of a sumptuous lemon square. Gay brown people??? Interracial relationships?!?!? Let’s not get crazy. One colorful step at a time.
The impact of emojis has truly revolutionized the digital textual space and, according to Facebook, may have lead to the demise of the once ubiquitous “lol.” Over 80 percent of Facebook conversations now use either an emoji or “haha” for a virtual laugh. So for ushering us into this brave new world, with all of its laughter, empowerment, awkwardness, and outright racism, to Apple I say heart eyes emoji, prayer hands emoji, brown prayer hands emoji, red 100, and those inexplicable dancing blond twins in leotards.![]()
Acne Studios
Back in April, Apple released the iOs 8.3 update for its devices which finally included a feature users had been suggesting for years: emojis with a variety of skin tones instead of just white. By all accounts, the response was tremendous. From Buzzfeed to Business Insider, outlets reported people happily de-whitening their emoji lives. When I first downloaded the update, my most recently used emojis became a great display of brown hands doing various things instead of the default white hands. “Yes,” I whispered into my display screen, “I am represented. I can finally be as black in this medium as I am in all other mediums. How glorious.” No longer would people of color have to express themselves with emojis the color of a toilet seat. There was a sense of pride in the fact that Apple thought we were important enough to specifically acknowledge. Not only that, there were also same-sex couples! It was a technicolor dream come true.
But this update didn’t just come with benefits to minority racial groups and queer people. It effectively adds a new potentially offensive overtone to every single text! At last, iPhone users can be childish, lewd, and racially insensitive all in literally one swipe. Discerning texters everywhere can take that plain Jane “Ugh lady in front of me can’t drive gtfo” text to the next racist level with an Asian woman emoji followed by that mustached devil mask emoji for emphasis. Get gyped for Christmas? Text Grandma a black Santa with a gun emoji to let her know how you really feel and communicate that you probably were hoping for moonshine or a new set of wheels for your mobile home this year. Nothing will change the world of sexting like racial stereotypes about penis size lovingly enhanced by that priceless gem, the eggplant emoji. In fact, the only people more excited about this update than people of color should be the people of the Aryan brotherhood.
The creative possibilities thus far seem endless as well. I’m partial to the “white person in a turban emoji” when talking about cultural appropriation. My boyfriend likes the “two gay men with their two sons” emoji because he can use it when he means “all-male cult” or “frat beach party.” It should be noted that the same-sex couple options are all strictly the color of a sumptuous lemon square. Gay brown people??? Interracial relationships?!?!? Let’s not get crazy. One colorful step at a time.
The impact of emojis has truly revolutionized the digital textual space and, according to Facebook, may have lead to the demise of the once ubiquitous “lol.” Over 80 percent of Facebook conversations now use either an emoji or “haha” for a virtual laugh. So for ushering us into this brave new world, with all of its laughter, empowerment, awkwardness, and outright racism, to Apple I say heart eyes emoji, prayer hands emoji, brown prayer hands emoji, red 100, and those inexplicable dancing blond twins in leotards.
Acne Studios