Where to draw the line with race/racist jokes?

Hello! I'm 18, Afrolatina, and I have lived in a very white area since I was 7.

I used to make shitty jokes about being Black just to appease my White friends. Such as watermelon jokes, and make fun of my lack of sass or inability to rap. Yes, I am ashamed. Mid-senior year, after learning about racism and how it affects society mid-senior year, I stopped making those jokes.

However, I am still around people that make jokes like these. I have Black friends who make stereotype jokes about everyone. I know POC who've joked I speak like a White girl. I have White friends who make fun of their own lack of rhythm or bland food. And, admittedly, I started watching the Boondocks last summer and I find it funny- though with a sense of guilt.

Where does one draw the line?? Are Black stereotype jokes only funny when one Black person makes it to another? What if the one making the joke is mixed, or even a quarter Black- is it still okay? Slavery or cop jokes are not to be joked about, but what about making jokes about fried chicken or loud church services? What if you joke about your White Italian friend liking pizza, then they joke about CPT to you? My family's church has a Nigerian pastor...who happened to take advantage of people's money; he fit a sterotype- would it be bad to laugh about that?

Am I taking things too seriously? I want to do the right thing. Please help a girl out.

Posted Jan 11, 2026, 8:09 PM UTC

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