Originally posted on Twitter January 11, 2020.

---

This trash article about Meghan and Harry is actually super relevant to what’s been going on with @JohnBoyega, the Rey/Kylo fandom, and coded racism from people in fandom/media that think we can’t see what they’re doing.

• 

• 

At no point in this article does the writer mention Megan’s actual race or mention her Blackness.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s not racist? Look at the second screenshot and how it continues the condescending attitude towards her.

Which is tied up in antiblackness.

A lot of people dismiss the racism aimed at Meghan because it’s not overt (to nonblack people).

It’s things like saying her avocado toast supports war crimes or scolding her for holding her baby bump or sharing lies about her personality and friendships. But it’s still racist.

Just like what’s happening to John from THOUSANDS OF REY/KYLO SHIPPERS ACROSS THE PAST 2 WEEKS. It’s not overt (to nonblack people), but the antiblackness is NOT subtle and it is not ending.

So far, I haven’t seen a single Rey/Kylo shipper call John or Finn a racial slur or insult his Blackness. That’s why they think the past 11 days haven’t been racist af from them.

But what I have seen

– saying John is a potential predator to Daisy and a bad friend

– saying he’s jealous of Adam Driver career wise or romantically

– implications that he’s either abusive or an abuse apologist

– Sarah Sahim’s comment about his genitals

– at 100s of people trying to get him fired

– one instance of “Finnkong ” from a potential troll account

– regurgitating the same comments about John being a misogynist because of his “who lays the pipe” comment and Lindsey Romain’s purposeful misinformation of his comments to say they were about Kelly Marie Tran

But again, I haven’t seen racial slurs yet. Or lynching photoshops. Or people saying “I hate John Boyega because he’s black” with their chests.

But just because that’s not how this fandom works in this moment or that I haven’t seen it, that doesn’t mean R/K fandom isn’t racist?