It really irks me when reading if and I see the phrase, “my cheeks redden”… they do not, I’m black
I saw some people had a few questions about alternatives, so I thought I would throw a few out there! In my opinion, here are some ways to portray shyness, attraction, and being flustered without using terms like “turning red” or blushing, as these indicate having light skin or being pale.
Averting eyes, or looking askance
Feeling your face heat up
The term “Visibly flustered”, which can imply a whole lot!
Chest thumping, heart fluttering
Butterflies in the stomach
Peeking through lashes
Covering face or mouth with hands
These are just a couple I like to read/use. It’s good to think about these things so that we have writing that not only doesn’t break immersion, but also writing that doesn’t lean into whiteness as the default. Hope this helps anyone who might have been curious!
