The song is about an experience Mila de la Garza, the band's drummer, had when a schoolmate made a racist comment at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A performance of the song at the Los Angeles Public Library gained media attention after a video was posted online.

Multiple musicians praised the performance, including Tom Morello, Flea, Thurston Moore, Kathleen Hanna, and Kid Cudi.

In March 2020, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mila de la Garza, the band's drummer, had what she described as her first experience of racism.

[2][3] Mila subsequently met with Eloise Wong, the band's bassist, on a five-hour Zoom call, during which they worked on writing "Racist, Sexist Boy".

[17] The video became a viral social media hit, earning praise from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Red Hot Chili Peppers's Flea,[17] Thurston Moore,[18] Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna,[3] and Kid Cudi.