Nationwide — A Black doll called “Natasha” has gone viral on Chinese social media as a stress-relief toy. It is designed for users to hit, stretch, and stomp, and the trend has drawn backlash from Black communities online in Hong Kong and abroad.
The doll resembles a small child and is typically produced in dark skin tones with exaggerated facial features. Users have shared videos on platforms like RedNote and Douyin showing people squeezing, boiling, and stomping the toy. It is also sold on e-commerce sites such as Taobao and is commonly made from soft memory foam or thermoplastic rubber, according to Hong Kong Free Press.
Writer Monique Franz, founder of Kinsman Avenue Publishing, said the trend reflects deeper social concerns. She said, “By inviting people to take out their stresses on a Black body, we invite populations to abuse our Black bodies at their whims, robbing us of our actual humanity. While this is a game to others, Black people are experiencing widespread global abuse, which is the result of portrayals of us in such degrading ways.”
African-American entrepreneur Jayne Jeje, who is based in Hong Kong, said the viral content shows a persistent pattern in how Black culture is viewed online. She described the videos as “absolutely diabolical” and added, “I’d find them offensive no matter who was being depicted, but this is deeply personal because I am proud of my beautiful dark skin. I refuse to accept the idea that it is something to be squeezed, slapped, mocked, or turned into entertainment for the masses.”
South African actress Londiwe Ngubeni raised concerns after witnessing a child using the doll inside a Hong Kong supermarket. She said the child stretched and hit the toy while describing it as a stress reliever. Ngubeni said, “At first, I thought she simply liked the toy. Then she began stretching, squeezing, poking the eyes, and hitting the doll. When I asked why, she said it was a ‘stress reliever.’ How is relieving stress by hurting a brown baby doll acceptable?”
Ngubeni added that the situation shows how quickly such behavior can spread, especially among children. She said retailers and manufacturers should be held accountable for products that may reinforce harmful attitudes.
Innocent Mutanga of the Africa Center Hong Kong said the trend risks normalizing the dehumanization of Black bodies, including children. He noted that regulators have removed some violent videos and that schools in mainland China have banned the doll in certain cases.
However, reports said the product was still available on Taobao when checked, despite guidance issued to e-commerce platforms. Mutanga called for stronger education efforts across the region, saying many people may still lack exposure to African cultures and histories.
Similar incidents have been reported before. In 2022, a BBC investigation found videos involving children in sub-Saharan Africa being used in online content that showed degrading treatment, raising wider concerns about racialized trends on social media.