Southern bloggers in Christian Girl Autumn meme say they're not racist

Publish date: 2024-09-16

The two Southern bloggers who have become the inadvertent stars of the viral 'Christian Girl Autumn' meme both love fall and happen to be Christian — but they insist they're not as basic (or intolerant) as everyone thinks. 

The fall-friendly update to the 'Hot Girl Summer' meme was spawned by a 19-year-old college student named Giovanni, who shared a three-year-old picture of influencers Emily Gemma and Caitlin Covington sporting matching curls and oversize scarves on Twitter earlier this month. 

The Long Island native, who asked to keep his last name private, told BuzzFeed News he had no idea who the women were when he tweeted their photo along with the caption: 'Hot Girl Summer is coming to an end, get ready for Christian Girl Autumn.' 

Online fame: Emily Gemma (left) and Caitlin Covington (right) have inadvertently become the stars of the viral 'Christian Girl Autumn' meme thanks to this picture from 2016

Online fame: Emily Gemma (left) and Caitlin Covington (right) have inadvertently become the stars of the viral 'Christian Girl Autumn' meme thanks to this picture from 2016 

Starbucks fans: Emily, 31, and Caitlin, 29, are both Christian and love fall, though they insist they aren't as basic as people think Starbucks fans: Emily, 31, and Caitlin, 29, are both Christian and love fall, though they insist they aren't as basic as people think

Starbucks fans: Emily, 31,  and Caitlin, 29, are both Christian and love fall, though they insist they aren't as basic as people think 

Giovanni said he came across the snapshot when he Googled 'cute church outfits' and 'all scarf outfits,' admitting he had no idea his post would go viral when she shared it on August 9.

Creator: The meme was started by a 19-year-old college student named Giovanni earlier this month

Creator: The meme was started by a 19-year-old college student named Giovanni earlier this month

Emily, 31, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, runs the blog The Sweetest Thing, while Caitlin, 29, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is the woman behind the blog Southern Curls and Pearls. 

In the snapshot, the bloggers are wearing scarves wrapped around their necks, strategically ripped skinny jeans, ankle booties, and matching handbags. 

The image was taken by Caitlin's mother when they traveled to Highlands, North Carolina, in 2016 to shoot their 'fall content' for the season.

Giovanni's tweet inspired countless memes, and people were quick to make negative assumptions about the influencers based on their scarves and booties, which are associated with white women who love all things pumpkin spice come September.  

Some also made assumptions about the girls beliefs, branding them 'racist' and 'homophobic' based entirely on the one image being shared on social media. 

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Share Surprise! Giovanni said he came across the snapshot when he Googled 'cute church outfits' and 'all scarf outfits,' admitting he had no idea his post would go viral

Surprise! Giovanni said he came across the snapshot when he Googled 'cute church outfits' and 'all scarf outfits,' admitting he had no idea his post would go viral

'Christian Girl Autumn is girls who judge others for their sins, but don't bother looking at their own,' one person commented on Giovanni's tweet featuring the bloggers.

'This picture just accidentally bumped into me and had the audacity to give me the stink eye like I was supposed to apologize,' another tweeted. 

Someone else wrote: 'This picture asked to speak to my manager.

Others joked that Emily and Caitlin were anti-gay and racist based on their appearance in the image. 

'This picture showed up drunk at a gay bar at 2am and yelled homophobic slurs at the bouncer,' one person responded. 

Fans of fall: The meme eventually made its way to Emily (pictured) and Caitlin, who have been friends since they lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, together in 2013

Fans of fall: The meme eventually made its way to Emily (pictured) and Caitlin, who have been friends since they lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, together in 2013 

Misconceptions: The tweet inspired countless memes, and people were quick to make negative assumptions about the influencers based on their fall looks Misconceptions: The tweet inspired countless memes, and people were quick to make negative assumptions about the influencers based on their fall looks

Misconceptions: The tweet inspired countless memes, and people were quick to make negative assumptions about the influencers based on their fall looks

'This picture just told me its best friend is black so it can't be racist,' another Twitter user wrote. 

The meme eventually made its way to Emily and Caitlin, who have been friends since they lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, together in 2013. 

The two have laughed it off, admitting that they completely understand why people are mocking the photo.  

'We were kind of matching. It was cheesy,' Emily told BuzzFeed News,' while Caitlin added: 'We look so basic in our blanket scarves and holding our Pumpkin Spice Lattes.'

The women are both Christians, but they have made it a point to set the record straight when it comes to the misconceptions that they're intolerant. 

In on the joke: The two have laughed it off, admitting that they completely understand why people are mocking the photo

In on the joke: The two have laughed it off, admitting that they completely understand why people are mocking the photo

Laughing it off: Caitlin even tweeted some of her best photos in response to the meme

Laughing it off: Caitlin even tweeted some of her best photos in response to the meme

'Love is love': The women are both Christians, but they have made it a point to set the record straight when it comes to the misconceptions that they're intolerant

'Love is love': The women are both Christians, but they have made it a point to set the record straight when it comes to the misconceptions that they're intolerant

FYI: Caitlin even revealed she is not a Republican like many people assumed

FYI: Caitlin even revealed she is not a Republican like many people assumed 

Just so you know: Emily admitted she doesn't even drink pumpkin spice lattes

Just so you know: Emily admitted she doesn't even drink pumpkin spice lattes 

Clearing the air: 'I’m white and Christian but none of the tweets were accurate,' Emily said of people's perceptions of them

Clearing the air: 'I’m white and Christian but none of the tweets were accurate,' Emily said of people's perceptions of them 

'That’s not me at all,' Caitlin said. 'I’m a nice person and I love everyone and I’m accepting of everyone.'

'I’m white and Christian but none of the tweets were accurate,' Emily explained. 'I laughed at all of it but... none of it’s true. We don’t ever want to speak to the manager!'

Caitlin even tweeted some of her best photos in response to the meme, writing: 'If all of Twitter is gonna make fun of my fall photos, at least pick some good ones! Super proud of these. For the record, I do like pumpkin spice lattes. Cheers!'

When asked about her thoughts on the LGBT community, she shared rainbow emoji and said 'love is love.' She also said that she wasn't a Republican like many people had assumed. 

She knows: Emily agreed that the viral photo of her and Caitlin was 'cheesy'

She knows: Emily agreed that the viral photo of her and Caitlin was 'cheesy' 

In agreement: 'We look so basic in our blanket scarves and holding our Pumpkin Spice Lattes,' Caitlin said In agreement: 'We look so basic in our blanket scarves and holding our Pumpkin Spice Lattes,' Caitlin said

In agreement: 'We look so basic in our blanket scarves and holding our Pumpkin Spice Lattes,' Caitlin said

Au naturel: Caitlin wants people to know that her thick curls are 'all real.' She explained that she has a 'really good curling iron' and deep conditions her hair

Au naturel: Caitlin wants people to know that her thick curls are 'all real.' She explained that she has a 'really good curling iron' and deep conditions her hair 

Emily also poked fun at the viral photo, tweeting: 'Fall fashion coming in hot... the comments had me spitting out my pumpkin spice latte (jk I don’t drink those) but really, I LOL at the comments.' 

'If anything it’s brought everyone a little bit closer,' Emily told BuzzFeed News. 'People started realizing, "Oh, these girls are real. They’re not whatever we thought they were." They assumed we were anti-LGBT, but we’re not at all. I’ve got friends who are trans and gay!

'I think people realized that not all white girls who love fall fashion and pumpkin spice are what we’re all categorized to look like.'

As for their infamous looks, they insist their styles have evolved over the past three years, and Caitlin wants people to know that her thick curls are 'all real.' 

'I just have a really good curling iron and I deep condition,' she said. 

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