A Canadian journalist is defending his decision to travel the U.S. in blackface and write a book about racism, after facing a storm of criticism online.

“Last summer, I disguised myself as a Black man and traveled throughout the United States to document how racism persists in American society,” Sam Forster, who is white, posted Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter. “Writing Seven Shoulders was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a journalist.”

The reaction was swift and brutal, with X users expressing anger, amusement and confusion, and telling Forster he should have simply spoken to Black people to understand their experiences.

“It’s hard to simultaneously draw the ire of black people, white people, conservatives, AND liberals… But I think you’ve just done it,” rapper and podcaster Zuby replied on X.

      • @[email protected]
        -27•6 months ago

        Perhaps your reading comprehension needs some work? The author traveled the U.S. The authors intention was noble. Calling people out for being overly sensitive is not racist.

        • Flying Squid
          15•6 months ago

          The mods apparently disagree with your claim that saying black people are too sensitive isn’t racist.

            • Flying Squid
              17•6 months ago

              So you’re saying I’m an “SJW” because I think suggesting an entire group of people collectively feel a certain way only because their skin has a certain amount of melanin in it is racist?

            • @Nutteman
              9•6 months ago

              Wow you’ve brought me right back to 2015 era reddit. You have any current things to call progressives?

            • @[email protected]
              9•6 months ago

              I think this NPC needs to have its software updated, it’s still using the old script that had “SJW” in it. Modern reich-wing NPCs use “woke”