Awkwafina won't be on Twitter for a while. This decision follows her writing a long note addressing criticisms that she's been using a "Blaccent."
The actress has been accused of cultural appropriation over the years, with people citing her work in movies such as Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean's 8 as examples. People especially thought it was hypocritical when she said in an old interview — which resurfaced last year — that she doesn't want to put on accents. She told Vice in 2017, "I refuse to do accents. I'm not OK with someone writing the Asian experience for an Asian character."
Related | Awkwafina Addresses 'Blaccent' Controversy
She addressed the controversy very briefly while speaking with Reuters, saying that she was "open to the conversation" and that the issue was "multi-faceted and layered." Now, she's published a more lengthy response in the form of a series of statements posted to Twitter.
"There is a sociopolitical context to everything, especially the historical context of the African American community in this country," she wrote. "It is a group that is disproportionately affected by institutionalized policies and law enforcement policies — all while having historically and routinely seen their culture stolen, exploited, and appropriated by the *dominant* culture for monetary gain without any acknowledgment nor respect for where those roots come from, the pioneers of its beginnings, and the artists that perfected and mastered the craft"
She added that she recognizes that the problem persists today, "In life, linguistic acculturation, immigrant acculturation, and the inevitable passage of globalized internet slang all play a factor in the fine line between offense and pop culture." She continued to insinuate that the reason she speaks the way she does is because of "the movies and tv shows I watched, the children I went to public school with, and my undying love and respect for hip hop."
"But, as a non-Black POC, I stand by the fact that I will always listen and work tirelessly to understand the history and context of AAVE," she concluded. "But I must emphasize: To mock, belittle, or be unkind in any way possible at the expense of others is: Simply. Not. My. Nature. It never has, and it never was."
In a separate tweet, she announced that she won't be using Twitter for a while. She posted, "Well, I'll see you in a few years, Twitter - per my therapist. To my fans, thank you for continuing to love and support someone who wishes they could be a better person for you. I apologize if I ever fell short, in anything I did. You're in my heart always."
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