A resurfaced clip of Raven-Symoné speaking about the race of her beloved Disney character, Raven Baxter, sparks backlash. The Raven-Symoné Facing Backlash After Questioning Race Of ‘Black’ Character first appeared on The Blast

Raven-Symoné is back in the spotlight, and it’s not because of her return to Disney Channel in “The Cheetah Girls 4”; it’s because of a comment she made about her beloved fictional character, Raven Baxter.

In a resurfaced clip, Raven-Symoné chats with one of her podcast guests and challenges them to question why they believed her character in the Disney show “That’s So Raven” was Black, arguing that they were associating the character’s race with her appearance, rather than considering the character beyond her color.

Raven-Symoné Questions Her Disney Character’s Race In Resurfaced Clip

Over the last few days, an old clip featuring Kalen Allen on Symoné’s podcast, “Tea Time with Raven & Miranda,” has circulated on social media and sparked major debates.

In the clip, Allen tells Symoné that her character, Baxter, who had psychic visions and tried to stop situations before they even happened, felt “Black as f-ck” to him.

After his statement, Symoné pressured him to consider why he believed that. “Was she Black? Why did she feel Black to you? Take away the color. Make them green, and hear the words. What color are they?”

Raven-Symoné Gets Pushback After Statement About Beloved Character

It didn’t take long for social media users and “That’s So Raven” fans to share their disheartened, confused reactions to Symoné’s comment.

“I feel like Raven has some sort of hidden aversion for this show that we don’t know about,” one user wrote. “First, she claimed that people only watched the show for her b–bs, which is a ridiculous statement. Now, she’s saying the show wasn’t for Black people. Idk what her problem is.”

Another user said, “I think Raven-Symoné’s real issue is that the exact demographic of Black people she tries so hard to distance herself from are the same people who saw themselves the most in Raven Baxter.”

They continued, “And THAT is the part she can’t stand. Which makes it even more confusing because those same Black people are a huge part of why Raven became as famous and culturally relevant as she is.”

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Allen Responds To The Backlash

Allen also received some backlash on social media, as some users wondered why he didn’t ask for clarification during his conversation with Symoné. He addressed the criticism on Threads, revealing he’s been sent death threats over the conversation.

“What is NOT accountability is assigning someone else’s words to me and then threatening me over words I NEVER SAID,” he wrote. I believe in giving people grace. I believe in hearing people out. I believe in trying to understand perspectives I disagree with. I’m not letting the internet train that out of me.”

Why Are There Strong Reactions To Raven-Symoné’s Comments?

Symoné’s comments sparked a firestorm online not only because she was the first Black woman to headline a Disney show, but also because many of the storylines centered on Black experiences, such as Black History Month, soul food, and jazz music.

Another reason the resurfaced clip garnered strong reactions is that it reminded some netizens of her 2014 interview with Oprah, in which she said she didn’t want to be labeled. When Oprah asked her whether she was gay, Symoné said, “I don’t want to be labeled ‘gay ‘; I want to be labeled a ‘human who loves humans.'”

She didn’t stop there. Symoné added, “I’m tired of being labeled. I’m an American. I’m not an African American; I’m an American.”

Symoné went on to say that while she has “roots” in the South, she didn’t know how far back they go. “I don’t know what country in Africa I’m from. I’m an American. And that’s a colorless person.”

Symoné’s Disney Peer Looked Up To Her As A ‘Young, Black Woman’

Days before Symoné’s comments went viral, her Disney peer, Kyla Pratt, spoke about the importance of seeing the “Backflip” singer as the “face” of the network, noting that it made her feel like she could do anything.

“For me, seeing a young Black woman navigate that space and become a director and producer and writer,” Pratt said, per The Blast. “I would say we have an unspoken bond, so whenever I see her or see her doing anything, I support it and I’m just happy that she’s living how she’s living.”

The Raven-Symoné Facing Backlash After Questioning Race Of ‘Black’ Character first appeared on The Blast