Ellen DeGeneres has been forced to respond to racism accusations online after she posted a picture to Twitter.
Following Usain Bolt’s win in the 100 meter final in the Olympics, a photo emerged of the athlete smiling to the cameras as he approached the finish line. It spurred on loads of people online to create memes of the photo and caption it in a variety of ways.
One of those people was Ellen DeGeneres who photoshopped the image to include herself in it. She chose to have it look like she was getting a piggyback from Usain and captioned it, “This is how I’m running errands from now on. #Rio2016”
This is how I’m running errands from now on. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/gYPtG9T1ao
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 15, 2016
People on Twitter were quick to complain and give out. She received backlash for the photo with people saying that since she is a “rich white female” it was an inappropriate photo.
@TheEllenShow You thought it’d be funny to post a pic of yourself riding on the back of a Black man? Nope. Delete this racist garbage.
— Mike (@MikeAllen_47) August 15, 2016
@TheEllenShow despite its intentions this pic has ugly connotations comin from a rich white lady
— emily (@emilypttrsn) August 16, 2016
@TheEllenShow @usainbolt So riding on his back like a mule, a horse as some form of property is fun to you…
Ok.
— 777-9311 (@MiQL) August 15, 2016
Ellen, your whiteness is showing! #Rio2016 @TheEllenShow @usainbolt pic.twitter.com/88RF75YLDu
— Black Intifada (@BlackShiite) August 16, 2016
.@TheEllenShow do you ever think about racism at all?
— djkilllist (@djkilllist) August 16, 2016
@TheEllenShow This is terrible. There should at least be a public apology. At least.
— Cayce (@cdutley) August 16, 2016
While a lot of people have been defending Ellen under the post saying that she is not racist and it was just meant as a joke it didn’t seem to help matters.
Eventually, Ellen had to comment and was forced to post another tweet to Twitter saying, “I am highly aware of the racism that exists in our country. It is the furthest thing from who I am.”
I am highly aware of the racism that exists in our country. It is the furthest thing from who I am.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 16, 2016
