TikTok @basallybetsy2.0 made the case for internet trends that it’s not just a matter of changing your style.
If you’ve ever come across the “Black Wife Effect” trending videos on TikTok, you’ve probably seen Black TikTok users showing off their white partners’ style evolutions — and perhaps that transformation is… This must be a credit to the TikToker himself.
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This TikTok user says black women elevate everything and “on the social scale.”
A social media user named Betsy, who goes by the handle @basallybetsy2.0 on TikTok and lists they/them pronouns on Instagram, has been discussing the black wife effect in TikTok videos, which have so far garnered 82,000 videos. It has been played more than once. “I feel like there’s a lot to break down about this,” Betsy says. “So for me, what I’m thinking while watching The Black Wife Effect is that everything black women touch is uplifted. And it’s not just on the partner scale, it’s on the societal scale.”
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Betsy says black women are the foundation of every social justice movement and at the top of every industry. “It’s no coincidence,” they added.
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And now, black women are elevating their partners’ fashion sense. But Betsy points out that it’s much more than that. “What’s interesting about the black wife effect is that it’s not just that they look better or have better style, it’s also that you see a noticeable increase in their self-confidence, and it’s not just a physical thing. ” they say. “It’s about being properly cared for. I feel like Black women have been socialized to be deep caregivers.”
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But Black women can use support as well as appreciation, Betsy explains.
As the video progresses, Betsy said that black women are often looked down upon and that it’s “a little exhausting” to always have to go that extra mile just to be seen as beautiful, smart, and kind. “That’s why we do it because when we exceed in these industries, when we exceed in these areas, when we exceed on these bases, the standard is either exceeded or non-existent.”
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Therefore, Betsy concludes that the lesson of the “black wife effect” is not that white people can exploit or take advantage of black women. White people can do the work instead. “Sure. Let me take notes so I can be on the same level. Or let’s see what they actually do. You know what I mean?” Betsy said. say. “A lot of times people can appreciate the work that Black women do, but they don’t know how to properly support us to keep it going.”
