#BlackExcellence365 Artist Spotlight: Cat Frazier (@animatedtext)
Oh, buddies, have we got a special interview for you today. You may not know her, but you definitely already love it. It’s @animatedtext! We were able to ask this walking internet legend about her art and what it’s like being a Black woman on the internet when everyone assumes you’re a white male—and why it’s so important to correct those assumptions. Read on, reader.
Before we start this interview, we’d like to say how honored we are to interview the Queen of GIFs. Tell us: Who is the mastermind behind @animatedtext on Tumblr?
I created @animatedtext in 2012 as a space to share jokes and practice making 3D text. Shortly after that I started taking requests from followers. So you can say the 280K plus people submitting requests are also the masterminds.
In recent interviews you’ve mentioned that people always think you’re a white, straight man creating the GIFs. Why is it important to be visible as an openly gay Black woman?
I’ve been coming out my whole life. The first time I came out was age 13 when I told my family I was gay. The last time I came out was yesterday when my Uber driver asked if I had a boyfriend. Me being open about being a black lesbian is like being open about what I ate for breakfast. It’s the same way for me online.
At the beginning of running @animatedtext I used to get hundreds of DMs from people saying “bro you’re amazing” or “why are you making jokes about being a woman when you’re a man?” Not everything I make is tied back to my identity. So now my bio essentially says “a black lesbian made these.” The added bonus of being out is representation. For some people it won’t matter that I’m a black gay woman. But for some it means everything to know that their favorite popular blog is run by someone like them.
What communities do you identify with both online on Tumblr and IRL?
On Tumblr I mainly identify with the net art community and calligraphers. In my mind, @animatedtext will always be a part of the 2012 Tumblr transparent community where people who weren’t designers were making GIFs for fun. My personal life is significantly gayer. I actively volunteer at my local LGBT Center and participate in a lot of queer art shows.
What are some of the challenges you face when creating GIFs or running your blog?
Balancing time. I’m fortunate that @animatedtext has become so successful and gives me opportunities outside of my blog. Unfortunately, that creeps into the time I’d like to spend making GIFs or talking to my followers. The other challenge is presenting my gifs in new ways. Recently I’ve started to play around with lyric videos and animated text stock videos. Seeing my work featured on Broad City showed me that there’s no limit.
Talk to us about this original piece for the #BlackExcellence365 campaign. How does this emulate Black Excellence for you?
This piece is a joke about strong black woman quotes. A lot of times black women are expected to keep it together no matter what. “Keep your head up Queen” and “be a strong black woman” are positive mottos that can become overwhelming. Sometimes you gotta drop your crown and lay your head on the keyboard. Black excellence just means being true to yourself. For me, that means not taking myself too seriously and encouraging other people to do the same.
Why is it important that people continue to make an effort showcase work done specifically by Black artists?
It’s important to continue to showcase Black artists because we offer a perspective that comes from an experience of anxieties and a feeling of otherness. Both of which are characteristics of great art.
What are the common asks in your inbox?
A lot of people ask me to make GIFs that they can use to ask their crush out. The internet is also going through a cowboy phase so I get many asks with the word yeehaw in it.
We’d suggest you follow @animatedtext to see her latest GIFs twirl and twist on your dashboard as she posts them, but we know you’re already following her. What a wise choice.
