Photos courtesy of Instagram
An interracial couple caused some hoopla online after their slavery-themed engagement photos went viral.
The photos were originally shared on Instagram by user misaelbencosme. The couple was identified as “Jochy and Mariela,” and the location was listed as Moca, Espaillat, in the Dominican Republic. The post’s caption clearly explained their intent.
“1842. Days passed, and everything changed. Our love got stronger and stronger,” the caption read. “He was no longer a slave. He was part of the family… Part 2 PRE-WEDDING session.”
The photos showed a white woman, presumably Mariela, dressed like a Little House on the Prairie extra and her shackled Black companion, Jochy, dressed like he spent a day in the fields. In one photo, Mariela is seen gesturing toward the chains as if she would take them off his wrists. Another image shows Jochy on his knees, kissing his fiancee’s hands as Miss Millie looked down at him with a big grin on her face.
The slavery cosplay photoshoot made
its way across Twitter and TikTok. Many users were baffled by the couple’s weird-ass engagement theme.“The romanticizing of Slavery has got to stop. Why are people having a Slavery themed engagement shoot???” tweeted one user.
@cdntheplayers#greenscreen #Slavery #Racism #White #WhitePeople #fyp #BlackTikTok #BLM #BlackLivesMatter♬ I was Born by The River – Jabez
“Why in the world would you cosplay slavery for some engagement shit?? Idk why some of these dudes think marrying a White girl an accomplishment,” questioned another user.
Some viewers did not want to believe the photos depict a real couple.
“I’m not RT’ing that slavery fantasy engagement photoshoot b/c I have questions about what’s real on social media these days. I don’t want to believe that’s real,” wrote activist Bree Newsome.
The couple nor the photographer have been identified, and it’s best they keep it that way. Hopefully, they won’t serve fried chicken and watermelon at the wedding.