The internet is in chaos over media personality Donna Briggs, who’s gone viral for a drastic transformation from a darker-skinned woman to someone now claiming she’s always been white. Social media isn’t buying it, and the comparisons to Rachel Dolezal are flooding timelines.
Viral clips and photos of Donna Briggs, who many now say is trying to rewrite her racial identity, have since flooded the internet.
Briggs, once known for her rich brown complexion and distinctly Black features, is now going viral for looking… well, very much like a blonde white woman. The transformation alone had folks doing double-takes, but it’s her response that truly sent social media into chaos.
In resurfaced images and videos from years ago, Donna appeared as a visibly Black woman. But in recent clips, she denies ever being Black at all, instead chalking up her past appearance to “spray tans” and “sun exposure.” She even claimed that her vegan lifestyle and avoidance of the sun were responsible for the change in her complexion.
“Yes, when I used to tan and they claimed I’m Black. Yes, amazing. People have nothing better to do,” she wrote in response to the backlash.
Now, TikTok and Twitter are in a frenzy. Users are comparing her to Rachel Dolezal, the infamous figure who identified as a Black woman despite being born white. Except this time, many feel Donna is getting praise where Rachel received public shame.
“It’s crazy to see how positive everyone reacted to Donna cosplaying a white woman, but when Rachel did it, she got so much hate?” one commenter wrote.
Another person chimed in:
“She actually looks like a real white woman, if she code-switched, I would’ve been fooled. But that voice… You can still hear the roots.”
Critics are now digging deeper, asking uncomfortable but necessary questions: Is this a form of self-hate? Is this another version of “passing,” but in reverse? Or is it simply another case of someone repackaging themselves for fame and social clout?
Some are asking how she’s been able to grow a large platform and receive praise while denying her Black identity, especially in an era where colorism, cultural appropriation, and racial gaslighting are constantly under a microscope.
