Alix Earle addresses racist posts in a statement on Instagram and TikTok

Earlier this month, Reddit users published screenshots of posts Earle allegedly made in 2014 that repeatedly included racial slurs. In screenshots of ASKfm posts, a user named “Alixxxxxx” with a profile photo that appears to be Earle has responded to several posts using the N-word. ASKfm is a social media platform founded in 2010 that allows users to put and to answer questions “anonymously”, although many users comment using their real names and likenesses.

Earle backed up those posts Monday night, posting a statement on both her Instagram stories and TikTok.

Earle, the 23-year-old sensation who has amassed nearly 4 million followers on Instagram and more than 7 million on TikTok, blamed the repeated use of the word on her age. He was 13 years old then.

“A few weeks ago, screenshots surfaced from my old ask.fm account showing me using a slur in the summer of 2014. I take responsibility and want to state that I was 13 years old and didn’t fully understand the offensive. the meaning behind that word,” Earle said in the statement. “It’s not an excuse to use that word in any context or at any age. That’s not how I talk or what I stand for.”

But what outraged fans — aside from the use of the word itself — was that Earle remained silent for so long after the allegations were made. But Earle blamed that choice on bad advice.

“I regret how I handled this situation, allowing too many people to talk me out of saying something for too long,” Earle said in the statement. “I wasn’t sure how to go about it and unfortunately the advice I was given, although well-intentioned, was wrong.”

Public relations and crisis communications experts said wealth at the time the controversy began that it was indeed a mistake not to address the allegations.

“Alix Earle needs to own up to her mistakes and act quickly: offer a sincere apology, show personal growth and be clear that she’s committed to learning from it,” said Evan Nierman, founder and CEO of crisis relations Red Banyan. wealth. “Ignoring or minimizing the problem would amplify the reaction and prolong the damage.”

The Alix Earle Effect

Earle, who has long been beloved for her “get ready with me” videos, carefree attitude, Barbie-like looks and hard-partying lifestyle, rose to fame as a freshman at the University of Miami . Since then, she’s landed numerous brand partnerships, from popular makeup brands including Tarte, Too Faced and Rare Beauty, to drinks brands like Poppi, for her “humour, vulnerability, aspiration, relatability and product mentions”. , wrote Janet Balis in Harvard Business Review.

It’s also part of the Unwell brand, which includes podcasts from Earle (Hot mess) and Gen Z and semi-millennial Alex Cooper, his host Call him dad, which just closed a $100 million deal with Sirius XM. Today, Earle is worth an estimated $6 million, according to multiple outlets. While in college, she earned $5 million in just one year, according to her Forbes. She is dating Braxton Berrios, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins.

Earle is one of those influential figures that many love and admire, but people also love to hate and hate to love. She attracted attention beyond her demographic, whether for parody or admiration. That’s why these screenshots got the internet talking, although some people weren’t shocked by the remarks he made in the past.

“Alix Earle being racist is not surprising, but still disappointing,” one user posted on X on August 6.

“In my absence, my silence has allowed others to fill the void with rumors that are simply not true,” Earle said in his statement. “One rumor in particular is that I tried to trademark my old posts, which is absolutely ridiculous and untrue. Another is that a brand has announced that they are no longer working with me, although I have never had any conversations with them about a partnership in any capacity.”

However, some people are not happy with Earle’s apology, arguing that they focused on the wrong thing.

“She clearly seems more upset about the rumors at the end than what she said,” one Reddit user wrote.

“Regardless of what is being said online, I wanted to come here and address the facts and most importantly, apologize,” Earle said in the statement.

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