Instagram influencers are often getting caught up in online controversies. Some of these are bad, while others are just ridiculous. Instagram is nothing like the real world, and you often get called out if you are pretending to be someone you're not, which is most people online.
Recently, one Instagram user has received a lot of attention for posing as another race. The cyber celeb sparked a lot of conversation on Twitter and Instagram about cultural appropriation, mostly around women trying to appear as a different race.
Although the conversations surrounding this topic include various opinions, it's clear that pretending to be another race on Instagram is a huge no-no. Emma Hallberg had to find this out the hard way after she offended many of her followers.
This is Emma Hallberg, a 19-year-old Instagram model, and makeup enthusiast.
She has over 200,000 followers on her Instagram page.She also has a YouTube channel which displays one makeup look.
In the video, Emma shows how she does her everyday makeup look.She recently disabled comments on her YouTube video and on some of her Instagram pictures.
The cyber celeb was receiving a lot of backlash on her appearance.Emma has claimed that she owes it to the sun for her bronzed skin.
But, are you buying that? Did we mention that she lives in Sweden? They're not particularly known for their tropical weather.Some of her followers started questioning her true skin tone after some of her old photos surfaced, showing her skin was once much lighter than it is in all of her current photos.
That's when the comments started coming in.Her fans were shocked to find out she is a white woman and pretty confused that they had been deceived for such a long time.
I honestly thought Emma hallberg was half black lol🤦🏾♀️— Mrs. (@Mrs.)1541624003.0
She fooled us all and did a really good job at it.
I'm proper shocked by the emma hallberg thing. Really thought she was mixed lmao— minghao's bucket hat (@minghao's bucket hat)1541580334.0
Viewers called her out on it...
For example this girl is WHITE like full white. Wears darker make up, darkens her pictures wears curly extensions. https://t.co/BVhQvFOjlc— Fourens (@Fourens)1541580387.0
Others had a good laugh.
I’m still in shock at Emma lmao I hate myself for thinking anyone from Sweden named Emma Hallberg was black 😢 https://t.co/AtbQ74EE2I— M (@M)1541626299.0
Emma does not claim to be anything other than white.
@yeahboutella @PRIYACHANEL You heard it here first https://t.co/7ydeSABzpD— Angelica Fratis II (@Angelica Fratis II)1541552191.0
Because we all know how sunny Sweden is.
That emma hallberg tryna say she got that dark from being in the sun too long.......................... Ahhh yes,… https://t.co/uOMcamG2JY— Cleo Jones Jr. (@Cleo Jones Jr.)1541604023.0
Here you have it folks, some Swiss facts:
@kaylahmakaveli @yeahboutella @AmazingAleex I’m 100% Swedish like her. There is no way in hell thats her natural ta… https://t.co/iSPOhrQ6aC— ✨ 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒚 ✨ (@✨ 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒚 ✨)1541588825.0
Some people are calling this trend...
Can we start a thread and post all of the white girls cosplaying as black women on Instagram? Let’s air them out because this is ALARMING.— Wanna (@Wanna)1541556201.0
We all know that any kind of blackface is wrong.
NBC's ratings up since canceling 'Megyn Kelly Today' after her 'blackface' comments https://t.co/KqdjFINbAi https://t.co/eCUIqAicH9— New York Daily News (@New York Daily News)1542158884.0
Is this even the same girl?
Someone posted the photo that showed Emma from a few years back looking quite different than she does now.People were also upset because she was being celebrated on other Instagram accounts as being a black woman.
Which is so, totally wrong. She never corrected or denied those posts.Emma's explanation
@emmahallberg just explained the skin color situation on her her IG story https://t.co/6a8QaqVUf6— yanka (@yanka)1541763045.0
But we're still confused...
"I've been accused of doing frequent spray tans, taking melatonin, getting hair perms and lip injections and many more. When I haven't done anything of the above," Emma wrote on Instagram. Is anyone going to tell her that melatonin is what you use to help you fall asleep faster? This poor girl is very confused, on all different levels.She went on to show pictures of her brother and father, claiming that they all "tan very easily."
She also showed a video of her mother's curly hair, saying that her own curls are natural and always has been since she was a child.But why such dark foundation?
@yeahboutella @YounghoKordei She really disabled to comments cuz she knew she was bout to get roasted for this sad… https://t.co/UBdjNTxKmW— yikes. 🅴 (@yikes. 🅴)1541572355.0
Standing her ground
She also did an interview with BuzzFeed News where she further explained herself. "I do not see myself as anything else than white,'' Emma stated.She further addressed the "false" accusations.
“It made me sad that some of my natural features are hurting and upsetting people. It also made me upset and scared that I can’t look the way I look naturally, without receiving false accusations, hate, and threats," she added.Some people felt satisfied with her explanation, but many followers knew the issue was much deeper than just using a darker foundation and calling yourself tan.
What about the Instagram posts or accounts claiming she's a black woman? Why not address those?his video does a great job of explaining "blackfishing" and why it needs to stop.
Emma is not the only girl who has been accused of this before and sadly she won't be the last.Say it again for the people in the back!
One Twitter user pointed to the big picture saying, "So now she’s getting makeup deals, hair deals. In spaces that could be for black women/darker women... We are marginalized so so often do you even know how infuriating it is to see a white woman in blackface with all the features we are put down for capitalizing off it."If you thought we were done, think again.
People found pictures of her posing with her boyfriend who, like his boo, has also been called out for cultural appropriation.Save your tears
hope everyone’s embarrassed at how maliciously they came for that emma hallberg girl on insta now she’s showed it’s all real loool— lily (@lily)1541764137.0