Since its inception, TikTok and its fine-tuned algorithm have borne an unprecedented number of online communities. Typically, the community is referred to by its defining characteristic coupled with “TikTok,” or more recently the suffixes “-tok” or “-core.” Of these communities, writer and producer Jasmine White, 29, explores the adverse side of Black Girl Luxury TikTok, or simply the Black Girl Luxury phenomenon, in her upcoming series #Stressed.
#Stressed tells the story of Ashanti, a plus-sized social media influencer who becomes blackmailed by one of her followers once her #BlackGirlLuxury lifestyle is exposed as a lie. In their efforts to manipulate Ashanti, the fan forces her to enter a beauty pageant where she must compete against women who fit within a beauty standard that she cannot.
For White, the critique that Black Girl Luxury receives on the “clock app” isn’t the focal point of “#Stressed.” Instead, the series explores social media’s influence on mental health and belongingness.
Hotline, White’s latest project
As someone who identifies as Black, queer, and plus-sized, White seeks to tell her stories through characters representative of her lived experiences and those within her community. Of her last project Hotline, an 8-episode mystery murder series featuring a transgender attorney as its main character, White tells RoyalTee:
“What I’m most proud of about Hotline is seeing a plus-sized Black woman on TV be sexy, be fun, be flawed, be the hero… I’m just excited for women to see themselves represented in that way.”
#Stressed is set to enter production this Spring and will air on BronxNet with the support of a $1.85 million grant from Creatives Rebuild New York. This three-year initiative provides employment or guaranteed income grants for up to 2,700 New-York based artists.
In addition, White’s “Hotline” is available on Amazon Prime Video and will be featured on Revolt TV starting in June 2022. For more information about Jasmine and her work, visit jaswrites.com
Read more about Jasmine’s journey in our spring edition of RoyalTee Magazine!
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