The current top-ranking U.S. diplomat to Afghanistan appeared to ask famous African American women on Twitter to teach her about “#BlackGirlMagic,” wondering if Afghan women and girls needed a movement like the one it inspired.
The #BlackGirlMagic movement and its frequently used social media hashtag promote black female empowerment, according to WUSA9. Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan Karen Decker asked in a Wednesday tweet whether Afghans were “familiar with #BlackGirlMagic and the movement it inspired,” continuing, “Do Afghan girls need a similar movement? What about Afghan Women?”
Are Afghans familiar with #BlackGirlMagic and the movement it inspired? Do Afghan girls need a similar movement? What about Afghan Women? Teach me, ready to learn. #BlackHistoryMonth @Beyonce @lizzo @ReginaKing
— Chargé d’Affaires Karen Decker (@USAmbKabul) February 15, 2023
“Teach me, ready to learn. #BlackHistoryMonth,” Decker tweeted, tagging music stars Beyonce and Lizzo and Oscar-winning actress Regina King. (RELATED: US Government Left As Many As 9,000 American Citizens In Afghanistan After Withdrawal, Senate Report Reveals)
As of this writing, none of the three celebrities had publicly responded to Decker’s tweet.
The Taliban announced a prohibition on women in university classes in December, according to Reuters, adding to restrictions already in place in Afghanistan. Women in the country have reportedly been banned from gyms and parks, going out in public without wearing full body clothing and traveling without a male relative.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price indicated during a Tuesday press briefing that Decker’s tweet had not been cleared by the department in Washington.
“I will say that there’s sentiments in her tweet thread that one can appreciate,” Price said. “I think the messaging in this context is rather inappropriate and ineffective, and it is not messaging that we would issue from here.”
Decker took office last year, having previously been Director for Afghanistan Operations for the Afghan Relocation Effort in an overseas diplomatic career going back more than 25 years that included assignments in Pakistan, Bosnia, Greece and Estonia. The U.S. has not recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government since the group seized control of its capital in summer 2021, and has not employed an official ambassador to the country since 2020.
Decker posted a tweet Sunday noting Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, saying, “He did some stuff. It’s also NAACP Day – home of grassroots activism, inclusive communities and making sure Black voices are heard. What does that look like for Afghans struggling to be heard?”
Abe Lincoln born today in 1809. He did some stuff. It’s also NAACP Day – home of grassroots activism, inclusive communities and making sure Black voices are heard. What does that look like for Afghans struggling to be heard? #BlackHistoryMonth @NAACP @LincolnsCottage
— Chargé d’Affaires Karen Decker (@USAmbKabul) February 12, 2023
The diplomat tweeted congratulations to the new Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs the next day, pointed out that both Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and competing Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts “happen to be Black” and asked, “Afghans – what’s the most exciting sports match you remember?”
This article has been updated with comment from the State Department.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.