Girl asked to change her Black Lives Matter shirt has perfect response

*mic drop*
 By 
Nicole Gallucci
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Maryland teen Rebecca Malstrom sure knows how to make a statement at the dinner table.

After her family requested she change out of her Black Lives Matter shirt on Thanksgiving, Malstrom was more than happy to oblige.

Why? Because she found the perfect way to outsmart her relatives... by changing into a different Black Lives Matter shirt.

Malstrom said she originally decided to wear a Black Lives Matter shirt on such a significant day because she feels it's important to speak up about a topic "that definitely needs more support." However, because of the political strain from the 2016 election, her family wanted to avoid controversial discussions at dinner.

"We had a strict 'no politics' rule, so when one family member asked me to change, I followed the command and changed... into another BLM shirt," the 19-year-old University of Maryland student told Mashable. She posted photographs of the two shirts on Twitter and the internet loved it.

After changing into her second Black Lives Matter shirt and returning to the dinner table, Malstrom said the reaction from her family members "wasn't as exciting as it could've been."

She decided to cover the shirt with a sweater to avoid conflict, but the following night at "friendsgiving" with some of her additional family members in attendance, Malstrom proudly wore the same shirt without the words covered. "That's when I told everyone that my tweet had blown up. Their reactions were priceless!" she said.

"I love my entire family to Pluto and back, but we don't see eye to eye on politics. However, they have all shown their support and are so proud of me for standing for what I believe in," Malstrom told Mashable. "Even though not all of my family agrees with my political views, everyone was ecstatic to see how much of an impact I had on the internet."

Since posting the photographs on Twitter, Malstrom has received some serious praise, along with various invites to Thanksgiving dinners and barbecues with "seasoned" food.

Unfortunately, Malstrom had to let everyone know that she and spicy food don't really mix.

Mashable Image
Nicole Gallucci

Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Seth Meyers has strong words for the Trump admin's response to ICE shooting
A man sits behind a talk show desk. In the top left is an image of the president.

I asked Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing what he'd say to AI skeptics. He had a blunt, four-word response.
Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing speaks to the media at ces 2026


Jimmy Kimmel has a blunt response to the latest Greenland talks
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage.


Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!