Out rapper Lil Nas X is taking to Twitter and expressing his true feelings for Blackout Tuesday and how we can better support the Black community beyond the Instagram trend.
In case you haven’t seen the trend take place all day, Blackout Tuesday involves users posting a solid black square to show support for Black Lives Matter. The only problem with this trend is that when everyone posts a black square and captions it with #BlackLivesMatter, it clogs up the hashtag. It becomes difficult for people to look up useful information and resources for the protests happening around the country.
“I just really think this is the time to push as hard as ever,” wrote the rapper. “I don’t think the movement has ever been this powerful. We don’t need to slow it down by posting nothing. We need to spread info and be as loud as ever.”
i just really think this is the time to push as hard as ever. i don’t think the movement has ever been this powerful. we don’t need to slow it down by posting nothing. we need to spread info and be as loud as ever. https://t.co/9nvy3HodjD
— nope (@LilNasX) June 2, 2020
Many Twitter and Instagram users were urging others to edit their IG posts and utilize the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday instead of #BlackLivesMatter. And the push to change hashtags seems to have worked. #BlackLivesMatter isn’t a giant wall of black squares anymore, like it was this morning.
this is not helping us. bro who the hell thought of this?? ppl need to see what’s going on https://t.co/fN492qsxaa
— nope (@LilNasX) June 2, 2020
not tryna be announcing but what if we posted donation and petitions links on instagram all at the same time instead of pitch black images.
— nope (@LilNasX) June 2, 2020
You can choose to edit your post caption to remove the #blacklivesmatter hashtag and your post will no longer be shown on that hashtag page. In some cases, it may take up to 10 minutes for the post to be removed once you edit it. #blackoutday
— Instagram (@instagram) June 2, 2020
Lil Nas X wasn’t the only one to question the black squares. Many called out the black box trend as a form of fake activism and said that people were posting their black image and then doing nothing else to support the cause.
black screens don’t do anything for black lives.
— isra hirsi (@israhirsi) June 2, 2020
Former editor-in-chief of Out Magazine Phillip Picardi posted multiple LGBTQ+ businesses that people could donate to and support if they wanted to go “beyond the black square.” Check out those businesses in the embedded tweet below and go here if you’re looking for more resources or other ways to support the cause.
If you want to go beyond the black square today, please consider donating to one of these Black-led, community-based LGBTQ+ organizations. Thank you, @RaquelWillis_, for compiling. pic.twitter.com/424djNxbFJ
— pfpicardi (@pfpicardi) June 2, 2020
I support the black hole.
Same as the holidays and “Black Friday”. They should just call it Red Tag Friday.