We’ve seen it over and over: people (typically “Westerners”) posting pictures of themselves surrounded by black Africans (usually black African children). It’s basically a rite of passage for the dauntless traveller who makes it to Africa.
However, this is a misguided practice that needs to die. Among other things, it reinforces colonialist mentalities, white saviourism, and the idea that Africans are exotic. It objectifies and fetishizes black and brown people, turning them into props with the sole purpose of centering our wayfaring “hero”.
Furthermore, posting these pictures doesn’t make offenders look altruistic, edgy, or “woke”. Instead, they look self-serving, patronizing, and woefully out of touch with current discussions about optics and privilege in travel media.
People from the Global South are not Photo Props – Why Optics in Travel Media Matter
I think a lot about the optics of travel media, particularly as it pertains to photographing “local people”. I’m very sensitive to using people from the Global South as props in my photos, especially as a privileged person from the Global North.
As a result, fewer and fewer of my travel stories include images of the people I meet. If they haven’t expressed interest or consent it feels exploitative, and even if they have expressed consent, I worry about portraying them in an untrue or undignified light.
Why? Well, for one, I never want to perpetuate negative stereotypes about the places I visit. These countries and people don’t need any more bad press than is already heaped upon them by the media and misinformed messengers. Instead, as responsible travellers and compassionate global citizens, I feel we should be empowering less fortunate communities and endeavouring to smash the single story of poverty and desperation in places like Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Responsible Tourism also includes Protecting Children
But if I’m completely honest? I am even more perturbed by this phenomenon when innocent children are the subject of photos. As a former middle school educator, I think a lot about child welfare, both at home and abroad. Whereas adults typically possess some form of agency, children for the most part are vulnerable: young and impressionable, they often lack the consciousness and intellectual development to accurately express their wants, needs, and consent.
Thus, travelling responsibly also means taking great care to avoid exploiting the children we encounter on the road. And you know what? In today’s global climate there are very few valid reasons to post pictures of someone else’s children online. In the age of saviourism and “if it’s not on social media it didn’t happen”, our need to post all our experiences online so we can be envied/adored/respected can often put the children we use as props in harm’s way.
In the Vice article, “Stop Picking Up Random African Children and Posting Them on Instagram”, author Dipo Faloyin expertly expands on why photographing children (especially those in the Global South) is self-serving, reductive, and disrespectful. But, beyond the moral implications, posting pictures of kids, especially where their features are visible and/or accompanied by details like their names or place of residence, can be straight up dangerous, because they provide information child traffickers can use to identify their next victims. This adds yet another layer to why photographing local children can be problematic.
G Adventures’ Child Welfare Policy
So how do we ensure that we’re travelling responsibly, especially when we find ourselves interacting with children? G Adventures has recently published a Child Welfare Code of Conduct, which provides travellers and travel businesses with guidance to prevent all forms of child exploitation and abuse as it pertains to travellers and the tourism industry. These easy, actionable steps remind us that it “takes a village” not only to raise a child and keep them free from harm, but to also build environments where they can develop emotionally, physically, cognitively, and socially.
While the complete guidelines can be found here and here, this brief video is a great visual representation of the dos and don’ts of responsible travel as it pertains to child welfare:
Also– it’s important to note that child welfare extends beyond pooh-poohing posting pictures of kids on social media. The guide also points to the perils of voluntourism: activities like classroom visits, while seemingly enriching to students, can actually be disruptive to their learning outcomes and daily routines. Remember: we always want to encourage their overall development, not hinder it!
The takeaway
Travelling is transformative, educational, and allows us to interact with people, places, and spaces we wouldn’t have otherwise. However, as responsible travellers, the onus is on US to ensure these encounters– especially when it comes to children– aren’t harmful or detrimental in any way. So please, let’s educate ourselves on how to make meaningful connections, and encourage others to do the same.
This post was written in partnership with G Adventures, but all opinions are my own.
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49 Comments
But why is there a child in the pin then?
I totally agree Oneika!
I got quite annoyed when an Italian blogger I used to follow, took a photograph of an African teenage boy and put it on her blog.
He was stark naked.
I told her that it was unacceptable to do so. And sadly, we even had a quarrel about it because she just couldn’t understand what was wrong.
Firstly, the boy was between the age of 12 – 14 I would say, and was carrying a pot of water on his head. She (the Italian blogger) seemed to think that because she asked him for a photograph, it was OK! I told her that she had no right to ask him, but his parent since he was an underaged child!
Even though I pointed out that she wouldn’t dare to take a photo of ANY child in Europe without parental consent, she refused to even acknowledge that the boy was a child at all!
As if a man in a developing country would be seen dead carrying anything at all, not to talk of a pot of water on his head!
I was quite cross!
Omg, this Italian blogger is ignorant beyond belief.
Thank you for this post. As a brand new blogger I am trying to find my point of view to share. I want to voice the idea of the value of travel as a way to make us more empathetic to other cultures and peoples. Then I read a blog post like this and realize that as an old white guy, I still have a lot to learn. I appreciate your candid thoughts and will try to take them to heart.
Thank you. Love the post! From a traveler and Parent’s perspective you are absolutely right. I would hate to have my children’s faces surrounded by some stranger in a photo plastered all over the internet and in print.
Its very useful travel updates and thanks for sharing the responsible tourism and children.
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