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LOreal Fires Its First Trans Model After She Called Out White America’s Racism

LOreal Fires Its First Trans Model After She Called Out White America’s Racism

LOreal Fires Its First Trans Model After She Called Out White America’s Racism

Well this is one of those stories of, where do you start? I applaud Bergdorf for her stand on Transgender rights and also racial equality during a time where there are so many incidences of them not being upheld now. But this is the time of instant karma on social media and when you become a brand, it behooves you to not write anything that will bite you in your ass because of bias as many companies are distancing themselves from any controversy of racial profiling or LGBTQ rights. Free speech is still definitely allowed in America (as far as I know) but unfortunately, when your employers are the group you are attacking…you may find yourself fired.

L’Oréal Paris fired its first transgender model to join the brand just days after announcing the partnership who is also an African American. L’Oréal released a statement on Twitter saying the company “champions diversity” but decided to cut ties with Monroe Bergdorf, saying her comments calling out white America’s racism in a recent Facebook post are “at odds” with their values. Bergdorf received big buzz earlier this week after L’Oréal announced her inclusion in a YouTube video ad for L’Oréal Paris True Match Foundation. But Bergdorf’s excitement was short-lived. The company had disavowed comments the model previously made on social media, which surfaced in a report the Daily Mail published a few days later. The damning piece blasted Bergdorf over her comments, claiming she wrote that “all white people are racist.” Spectators highlighted how her words had been misrepresented and taken out of context, with some even suggesting that the story was a deliberate attempt to downplay Bergdorf entirely.

Bergdorf’s comments, which call out systemic racism in America and how white people benefit from special privileges, have since been deleted from her Facebook page but have been published elsewhere in full.
“Honestly I don’t have the energy to talk about the racial violence of white people anymore. Yes, ALL white people,” Bergdorf reportedly wrote, going on to address the privileges afforded to them. “Because most of ya’ll don’t even realize or refuse to acknowledge that your existence, privilege, and success as a race is built on the backs, blood, and death of people of colour. Your entire existence is drenched in racism. From micro-aggressions to terrorism, you guys built the blueprint for this s***.” “Come see me when you realize that racism isn’t learned, it’s inherited and consciously or unconsciously passed down through privilege,” she added. “Once white people begin to admit that their race is the most violent and oppressive force of nature on Earth… then we can talk.” In the U.K., many expressed outrage with L’Oréal’s decision to denounce Bergdorf’s message, saying it highlights the hypocrisy of the company claiming to be “champions of diversity” while only embracing inclusion for goals driven by profit and actively condemning Bergdorf, a black trans woman, for speaking out about racism ― an issue that impacts people of color most. This sentiment was echoed by Bergdorf, who release a statement with site gal-dem in response to L’Oréal’s dismissal and pushed for a boycott of the company. “If you truly want equality and diversity, you need to actively work to dismantle the source of what created this discrimination and division in the first place,” she wrote. “You cannot just simply cash in because you’ve realized there’s a hole in the market and that there is money to be made from people of colour who have darker skin tones.”

Susan Z’s Conclusion:

It is truly unfortunate that in order to become a success in any fashion, movie, singing or TV career, one must keep their viewpoints to themselves in order to stay employed. But if you read in the news anywhere, you post your anger on anything, whether you are right or not, you get a response. In this case, it was being fired.

Knight of Wands: Inverted (Upside Down)
Freedom from a life situation that restricts you and impatience. I believe this represents Bergdorf’s opinion of what she believes is right but the price she also paid for expressing them. No one says the world is fair, that is for sure.

Temperance:
Harmony and balance. Regardless of what the issue is about what was written, it is the energy behind it that brought the house down. I believe most agree with what she says but it was how it was said. But changes are not usually brought about by being polite.

Three of Cups:
Joyous celebration. I feel this card shows that out of this incident, Bergdorf will come out on top in her career regardless of L’Oréal’s decision.

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1 Comment

  1. According to her racism is inherited. All white people are racist.

    Not all white people are racist. I think she is very beautiful on the outside. But I don’t know her heart. I am white. That’s all she would see. She would not find out what my heart is about.