CNN is receiving backlash after it published an article about a white woman who claims she faces struggle because of her “stereotypically black” name.
As LaKeisha Francis states in the article, “What It’s Like To Be A White Woman Named LaKeisha,” she is a 28-year-old white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed bartender who on a daily is questioned about her “stereotypical Black” name. In the article, written by John Black, Francis explains how she never realized her name was “ethnic,” as her parents believed it was a beautiful name they wanted to bestow upon their daughter. But, as she got older, she says she realized her name wasn’t the whitest.
However, the most problematic part of the article, if not its entirety, is where the 28-year-old states she has “learned to live with being black for a minute” because of her name. This shocking article rightfully did what it may have intended to do: shock and confuse people; and it didn’t take long for many to clap back at Francis’ ignorance on social media.
“A name doesn’t make a non-Black person ‘Black for a minute,’ that’s a trash take,” wrote one Twitter user in response to the article. Another wrote, “I don’t know what you were trying to accomplish with this when black folk faced with ethnic names faced more consequences than a white chick name lakiesha.”
Another user wrote, “I don’t know what you were trying to accomplish with this when black folk faced with ethnic names faced more consequences than a white chick name lakiesha. I’m sure with her complexion she still got the American protection!”
Thoughts?
People made judgements based on her name and the false narratives associated with it. I’m not surprised at all that LaKeisha had a taste of the sickness associated with do called white people and there socialized ignorance