A Black international TikTik creator is gaining notoriety for sharing her experiences while living in China. Rosie, who goes by A Baby Queen on the social platform, has users applauding her ability to extend grace and kindness to locals, who sometimes treat her as a spectacle of wonderment due to her Mandarin-speaking skills and exotic appearance.
The self-proclaimed lover of Chinese culture has been posting videos since July, when she returned to China after an unexplained absence. Though unclear when she moved to the country, she has addressed the stereotypes that some believe about Black people, her food excursions, and time spent immersed in the culture with her friends in various posts. Each video posts shows her subtitled English translations of her exchanges in Mandarin with Chinese people.
One in particular, posted in late January, has become popular because it sheds light on how the student’s looks are critiqued. “I find your eyes big and good looking but you are dark skin,” said a woman to Rosie.
Rosie seemed mostly flattered by the compliment, all the while acknowledging that the latter commentary about her skin complexion was a result of the difference in American and Chinese cultural norms.
“Asian beauty standards [are] different from us Black people,” she said with a pleasant smile on her face. The woman responded, “We Chinese people don’t find dark skin beautiful. That’s Chinese beauty standards. Your face looks pretty, but you just a bit too dark.”
@ababyqueen She said I’m pretty but too dark..well that’s chinese beauty standards #foryou #pourtoi #blackinchina #speakingchinese #chinastreet #foryoupage #babyqueen #viral ♬ original sound – 思玲babyqueen
In a number of posts, Rosie briefly touches on the fact that she learned Mandarin in a year by studying online. She also states that her move to China was to pursue her bachelor’s degree, which, judging by her posts, is in the financial sector dealing with assets and consumerism, though she has not explicitly shared her major or what university she attends, only that she is the sole international and Black pupil in her class.
In a separate video, the TikToker is eating street food when a woman gawking at her hair touches it and remarks, “Wow, this hair is so hard.” The expat defended her tresses with statements that made it comparable to that of Chinese people and informing the onlooker that it was not a weave or wig.
Still, seemingly unbothered, Rosie continues to eat as another person, who does appear on camera, quips that her skin complexion is fake. “You dyed your skin Black,” said a man. He further alluded to her being a Chinese person who altered their appearance because her Mandarin was too good. “I’m really a foreigner. I’m really a Black person,” said the young woman.
As for why she tolerates racism, the content creator explained that she is more concerned with passing her classes, seeing as though she has to work harder and study more than her classmates.
“I’m so bothered and disturbed by that than being disturbed by somebody who says they don’t like my skin color or they don’t like my hair,” said Rosie. “When you tell me you don’t like my skin color or like my hair, I reply to you with a huge smile because I don’t have time for that.”
She continued, “I don’t even know what I’m gonna do for my master’s, I don’t have any plan. I’m so lost. I’m broke, no money because international students not allowed to work in China. … I have so much going on in my own life that spending my energy on somebody. …When you give me hate, don’t expect to get hate back.”
Black British content creator Yinka Ajala has faced similar experiences as he too lives in China and has become fluent in speaking Mandarin. Like Rosie, he too has chosen to smile and engage locals in conversation rather than school them on the undertones of their wonderment.
