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Ellen DeGeneres recently got back from a trip from Africa. She and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi were in Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya for her Wildlife Fund. During her trip, she also worked with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. DeGeneres has been sharing photos from her trip and they’ve been very cute. Here’s one with her, de Rossi and a gorilla.
I’ve waited my whole life to make this trip. pic.twitter.com/J2GNciu9Oy
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 31, 2018
Another with her and a baby elephant she fosters.
This is my foster elephant, Enkesha. She was found as a baby with her trunk caught in a snare. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust took her in. @DSWT #BeKindToElephants pic.twitter.com/iGfBFgHT9y
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) June 4, 2018
She then posted another photo to announce the end of her trip. The photo shows her with about a dozen children in a field. She wrote, “Thank you to all of the amazing people I met on my trip, who helped make it so special.”
Thank you to all of the amazing people I met on my trip, who helped make it so special. pic.twitter.com/w4sQop7yfR
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) June 4, 2018
This photo has received lots of backlash and is being dubbed as “poverty porn.” Poverty porn is when people travel to a country that is “poor,” snap a picture with the “poor” children or environment and post it for online karma and sympathy. Africa isn’t drowning in poverty as many westerners think. CNN says that the idea that poverty only exists overseas in African and Asain countries prevents us from realizing the growing poverty in our backyard. Poverty porn also fuels the white savior complex.
Ellen, the purpose of #VisitRwanda is to encourage tourism and business opportunities. You're not helping by participating in Poverty Porn.
Africans don't travel to your country to take pictures with your half-a-million homeless people. Please do better. We are no ones charity.— Lando (@AtuwaStudios) June 6, 2018
DeGeneres’ photo and the caption weren’t about the “poor” kids in Africa, but as many pointed out a trip to African is not complete without a poverty snapshot. But poverty isn’t ALL that Africa is. There are thriving cities, boujee hotels and wealthy people.
A trip to Africa is not complete without the trademark poverty porn photo op. https://t.co/RwDcupVcNC
— Please Wash Your Hands! (@ngwata_) June 5, 2018
The Washington Post reported in December 2017 that 40 million Americans live below the poverty line and half of the 20 million live in deep poverty. The U.S. child poverty rate, 25% is the highest child poverty rate in a developed country. In a U.N. report, it says that America has the lowest social mobility rate of any wealthy country. Meaning once you’re in poverty it’s hard to get out.
Wealth is unfairly distributed in America. The top 1% earn 81 times more than the bottom 50% of Americans.
https://twitter.com/Chris_Goth/status/1004275285813006336
There is plenty of poverty work that needs to be done in America, but only a narrative of poverty gets pushed about African countries and other third-world places.
This is a misfire. White tourist taking a pic with anonymous group of ‘happy but poor African kids’ always is. Examine your motivations in taking this pic- be honest. Showing how ‘real’ your experience was? Did kids consent to this being posted? These kids aren’t props.
— Tara (@tara_fernando) June 6, 2018
What do you think about DeGeneres’ Africa photos?
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