In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois’ concept of double consciousness gave a name to the conflicting, anxious phenomenon of our people knowing how the Black world functions, while being forced to understand how the white world functions and perceives us.
What separates these worlds is a metaphoric “veil.”
Scholar André Brock Jr. illustrates this experience in today’s digital spaces. He names Black Twitter as an example where people express their Blackness and seek community with each other - while being constantly aware of their perception by white users on the same platform and the policies and practices established by white programmers.
Racquel Gates also uses DuBois’ framework to describe how that constant awareness of whiteness can lead to intraracial policing.
Encouraging others to assimilate to white America’s expectations of “respectability” doesn’t just happen in person, but in digital spaces and in response to representation on screen, like reality TV or fictional movies.
This behavior implies that white America’s values are the standard. Aspirational. Better. White America also enforces this by stigmatizing everything we do that resists its control - from watermelon farming and styling cornrows to rap music and AAVE.
But in our liberated future, we won’t have to worry about the veil imposed on us. We will all embrace our authentic selves and face no consequences. What would that look like for you?