The Black Girl Follow Train on TikTok | Let’s Talk

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The black girl follow train on TikTok was a monumental moment for black women, who have been told that they are in competition with one another throughout a very oppressive and false narrative.

What the black girl follow train did, was disprove that theory hands down.

In a movement that messed heavily with the TikTok algorithm, we saw that black women remain an innovative blueprint and want to see each other win.

The black girl follow train was started after one user, @craftyheauxx decided to call out an ask amongst black women TikTok users. A follow for a follow specifically catered to black women.

A love letter from one black women to another.

From trending audio, to following one another, conversations began to be had around race, and specifically about being a black woman in a world that is not made for black women.

Outrage Over Solidarity – Black Girl Follow Train on TikTok

As is commonplace in a world where white supremacy lives……

An outcry of women began. Their complaint? This trend had to be racist if all women were not being centered.

Gaslighting black women into oblivion and asking why it “wasn’t for all women.”

(Black people cannot be racist– as this article helps to explain. )

Knowing full well how history works, how free information is in today’s world, and how racism holds its grip on how much black women can advance in the world……(TikTok suppresses views of black creators while bumping others who are copying black content creators).

Black women needed a safe place to reach out to one another, and a lot of racist TikTok users didn’t like it.

Decentering White Supremacy

During the black girl follow train, a lot of conversations were about black women who were not seeing other black women on their timelines.

This trend was helping black women find black women in real time.

It was a trend where black women could find black women creators, or businesses and support them.

So much talent and views were being held hostage by the TikTok algorithm, and this was the black women’s attempt for equality and a true online community.

How White Women Creatives Used the Black Girl Follow Train

Some white women joined in solidarity with black women, asking other “yt women” to please stop centering themselves and to educate themselves as to why this was happening.

Others started using trending black musicians in their TikToks, to piggyback off of black culture and their perceived trend narrative, in an attempt to make sure they were still getting views.

But through it all, what we really saw was a lie closing in on itself.

The false narrative about black women who don’t support one another- turned out to be a bold-faced lie.

A rebirth of our authentic championing nature was lit aflame, and it was truly amazing.

During this particular Valentine’s Day, we are reminded that black women love and support black women, and no, you don’t have to like it.

My Personal Experience

I found the black girl follow train to be really inspiring.

It couldn’t have happened at a better time in my life, to be honest.

That past weekend I realized just how badly I needed more black friends– and how difficult that is for me because of where I live.

The black population is like 2% where I live, and most of my friends are white and talk openly with me as if I were not black (not all my white friends do this), which tell me a few things.

One, I am a person people feel safe with, but they haven’t learned how to fully engage with their black friends in a way where the conversations feel safe for all parties.

Two, they don’t realize how they can come off when engaging with a person who experiences oppression.

These are not bad people, but it’s also my right to experience safe spaces in friendships, and having black women around me makes me feel a lot safer and understood.

Most of my experiences regarding race has meant that I have to self-validate.

I have also found that most (not all) white people I am around do not feel inclined to speak up amid racist conversations and microaggressions, which is unfortunate.

As a black woman, we take it on the chin (to survive), so it was nice to have a space to talk about it openly and validate one another.

Being a black woman is to constantly be in a state of fight or flight, and that is without the everyday trauma of just existing like a human does, humaning.

The black girl follow train was much appreciated, and I am grateful I got to experience it.

What a time to be alive.

xx