TikTok's Check Your Privilege challenge examines how racially privileged you are
3 June 2020, 15:46
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TikTok user @boss_bigmamma created the Check Your Privilege challenge on TikTok to encourage people to use their privilege to help others.
A new challenge on TikTok is using the "put a finger down" game to get people to examine how racially privileged they are.
Last month (May 22), Virginian TikTok user @boss_bigmamma, real name Kenya, created the Check Your Privilege challenge. Big Mamma's TikTok challenge sees her list 12 examples of racial discrimination and calls on people to put a finger down if they've experienced them. In the video, Big Mamma, who is a black woman, puts down all 10 of her fingers and thumbs.
READ MORE: TikTok users change their profile pictures to a black fist to show support for black creators
Since launching the challenge, it's gone viral as white people and interracial couples have used it to check their privilege.
The ten examples of racial discrimination Big Mamma lists in the challenge are:
1) Put a finger down if you have been called a racial slur.
2) Put a finger down if you have been followed in a store unnecessarily.
3) Put a finger down if someone has crossed the street to avoid passing you.
4) Put a finger down if you've had someone clench their purse in an elevator with you.
5) Put a finger down if you've had someone step off of an elevator to keep from riding with you.
6) Put a finger down if you've been accused of not being able to afford something expensive.
7) Put a finger down if you have had fear in your heart when being stopped by the police.
8) Put a finger down if you have never been given a pass on a citation that you deserved.
9) Put a finger down if you have been stopped or detained by police for no valid reason.
10) Put a finger down if you have been bullied solely because of your race.
11) Put a finger down if you have been denied service solely because of the colour of your skin.
12) Put a finger down if you've ever had to teach your children how not to get killed by the police.
Big Mamma then says: "Any fingers left? That's privilege."
Since creating the challenge many white TikTok users have taken on the challenge to prove how real white privilege is. Many interracial couple have also done the challenge to examine the disparity between their own privileges, and TikTok users of different races have taken part as well to show how they don't experience the exact same privilege as black people.
Speaking to BuzzFeed about many people taking on the Check Your Privilege challenge, Big Mamma said: "Whatever they took away from it, I hope people will use the privilege they have to help others. I can only hope that we create a better existence for our grandchildren. I want to do my part to be a part of that change."
However, even though the challenge has gone viral with people using Big Mamma's original sound, Big Mamma's video no longer appears at the top of TikTok's feed when you search for the sound she created. Not only that but people taking on the challenge aren't tagging Big Mamma when they post their videos.
Big Mamma posted a video on TikTok yesterday (Jun 2) pointing this out. She said: "Is there anything I can do? Or I'm just going to be hijacked. Come on TikTok." She captioned the video: "What is it about THIS particular video that TikTok can’t get right? I can’t bring awareness if the traffic goes elsewhere."
As it stands, TikTok are yet to respond to Big Mamma. We shall update you if they do.
