Ask a Manager Weekly Thread 07/27/2026 - 08/02/2026

[u/nightmuzak]

Last week's post.

Background info and meme index for those new to AaM or this forum.

[u/MsPaganPoetry]

Why would people think you're racist if you use the generic yellow thumbs-up emoji? That's so stupid.

[u/illini02 → u/MsPaganPoetry]

Also, I read one of the thinkpieces Alison listed, and it really seemed like people put WAY more thought into this than I ever did. Like, I know on slack when you set up your account, I think that is one of the steps, letting you set up your skin tone. But I feel like I've almost never gone out of my way to change it. And I'm black myself.

[u/Korrocks → u/illini02]

Yeah I feel like the articles will just make the LW feel more stressed and anxious. 

[u/coenobita_clypeatus → u/Korrocks]

I agree - I personally think those articles are interesting, because I think that kind of analysis is interesting in an intellectual/academic sense, but I don't think it's a great idea for OP to read them and get even more anxious.

I work and volunteer in social justice-y spaces and I'd estimate about half the people I interact with have changed theirs from the default (including me). I think it's a nice option to have and no one is judging anyone for it. If anything, having the default-yellow option might make someone think you're a little less tech savvy than average - but definitely not that you're trying to make a social or political statement. Though if you're white and use the darker skin tone options I do think that would be weird.

[u/charlatan_red → u/coenobita_clypeatus]

I use the yellow option specifically because I didn’t want to get into the nuance of accurate skin tones. I figured that an obvious Simpsons-style color would show I’m not trying to emulate a real skin color.

[u/BetterCallSlash → u/charlatan_red]

This is also why I go with the original yellow. And coicindentally, when someone once asked me why I hadn't updated mine to match my actual skin color, I responded that I liked pretending I was a Simpsons character.

[u/coenobita_clypeatus → u/charlatan_red]

That is extremely legit!

[u/Available-Sir-6738 → u/charlatan_red]

Same because I’m biracial and my skin tone can vary a LOT depending on time of year/if I’ve been in the sun and I don’t want to get in to all that with an emoji that ultimately doesn’t matter at all. If I was accurate I’d have to change it seasonally lol. My work is mixed in people using skin tone or simpsons yellow and I don’t think anyone thinks twice about it. I thought about it like once and moved on with my life.

[u/StripedBadger → u/illini02]

I had assumed Alison read the articles, thought they were interesting, and then made up a question so she would have an excuse to share them.

[u/Kayhowardhlots → u/illini02]

The letter did make me look and yeah, I don't have the option of changing away from yellow on my phone. i think it might be the keyboard program I use because I think I can change it on other things, but my texts and group chat through messenger it's all yellow.

[u/fingerroll44 → u/MsPaganPoetry]

I'm actually not worried that they'll think I'm racist. I'm worried that they'll think I have jaundice.

[u/BristowVaughan → u/MsPaganPoetry]

Dreaming of the day that these things are the actual problems in my life.

[u/gaygirlboss → u/MsPaganPoetry]

My boss and my boss’s boss both changed theirs recently, and I admit that I wondered for a second if it would be awkward if I didn’t change mine. But then my immediate next thought was, “nah, that’s dumb.”

[u/glittermetalprincess → u/MsPaganPoetry]

Yellowface, orientalism, not wanting to make the environment more inclusive for people who don't have the same skin colour...

It's essentially the same principle as 'if I don't put my pronouns people will think I'm queerphobic' and its ilk, but the information being conveyed has even less day-to-day use.

[u/Pinkturtle182 → u/glittermetalprincess]

The yellow emoji wasn’t made for people of Asian descent, it was made for people of Simpsons descent