# What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You?

What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You? began as a Twitter question posted by @abcdrih on November 9, 2020, asking users to name innocuous things they still associate with bigotry. The question collected over 33,000 retweets in three days, and by November 11, 2020, Twitter users were posting variants with 'Asian' or 'gay' standing in for 'racist' as the phrasal template caught on.

## Origin
On November 9, 2020, Twitter user @abcdrih posted the question 'what's something that ISN'T racist but still FEELS racist to you?'[1]. The tweet collected more than 33,000 retweets and 13,000 likes inside three days[6]. Shortly after, @abcdrih answered their own prompt with 'I'll go first, white men in flip flops,' a reply that drew over 15,000 likes and 650 retweets[2].

- **Platform:** Twitter
- **Creator:** @abcdrih
- **Date:** 2020

## Overview
Responses typically match the question with a specific scenario or trait that someone finds racially coded without being bigoted in itself. @abcdrih's own first answer named 'white men in flip flops'[2], setting the tone for jokes about mannerisms, product preferences, and TV moments that feel loaded despite being harmless. Many of the viral replies focused on Black contestants losing on game shows or cooking competitions, drawing on a shared sense of pattern recognition rather than actual prejudice[3].

The thread doubled as a template. Once it took off, writers began testing the structure 'What's Something That Isn't X But Still Feels X to You?' with X standing in for other identity labels, and by mid-November Twitter users had posted versions for Asian[5] and other identity categories[6]. The format works because the self-aware setup gives permission to voice an association that would feel awkward unprompted.

## How to Use
Users typically quote-tweet the original or adapt the structure 'What's Something That Isn't X But Still Feels X to You?' with a different identity label in place of X[6]. Writer Jonny Sun used the frame for an Asian variant on November 11, 2020[5].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You??
It's a Twitter question posted by @abcdrih on November 9, 2020, asking users to name innocuous things they associate with racism[1]. The replies turned it into a viral thread[6].

### Where did What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You? come from?
The question originated on Twitter from @abcdrih[1]. Their own first answer, 'white men in flip flops,' drew over 15,000 likes in three days[2].

### What does What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You? mean?
The prompt asks for things that trigger a feeling of bias without actually being prejudiced. Replies often cited game show losses, like @MichellCClark's 'when the Black family loses on Family Feud'[3].

### How do you use What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You??
Users typically quote the tweet or adapt the structure 'What's Something That Isn't X But Still Feels X to You?' with a different identity label in place of X[6]. Jonny Sun used the frame for an Asian variant[5].

### Is What Is Something That Isn't Racist But Still Feels Racist To You? still popular?
The question went viral in November 2020, with the original tweet collecting over 33,000 retweets in three days[6]. Variants about Asian[5] and other identities followed within the same week[4].

## References
1. [https://twitter.com/abcdrih/status/1326067223861981186](<https://twitter.com/abcdrih/status/1326067223861981186>)
2. [https://twitter.com/abcdrih/status/1326067314245054464](<https://twitter.com/abcdrih/status/1326067314245054464>)
3. [https://twitter.com/MichellCClark/status/1326250299791716359](<https://twitter.com/MichellCClark/status/1326250299791716359>)
4. [https://twitter.com/RAGGEDYROYAL/status/1326340656818769921](<https://twitter.com/RAGGEDYROYAL/status/1326340656818769921>)
5. [https://twitter.com/jonnysun/status/1326616336022216705](<https://twitter.com/jonnysun/status/1326616336022216705>)
6. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/what-is-something-that-isnt-racist-but-still-feels-racist-to-you](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/what-is-something-that-isnt-racist-but-still-feels-racist-to-you>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/what-is-something-that-isnt-racist-but-still-feels-racist-to-you
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