L'Oréal
Paris UK on Friday announced that it had ended its partnership with
its first transgender model after she spoke out against racism.
Twenty-nine-year-old London-based
Munroe Bergdorf was among the handful of models chosen for L'Oréal's
#YoursTruly True Match campaign.
In a Facebook post, which has since
been removed, Bergdorf reportedly responded to the violence in
Charlottesville, Virginia by saying that “all” white people are
complicit in racial violence.
“Honestly, I don't have the energy to
talk about the racial violence of white people any more. Yes ALL
white people,” she wrote.
“Because most of ya’ll don’t even
realise 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 realise that
racism isn’t learned, it’s inherited and consciously or
unconsciously passed down through privilege.”
“Once white people begin to admit
that their race is the most violent and oppressive force of nature on
Earth… then we can talk,” she continued.
In a tweet, L'Oréal
Paris UK responded: “L'Oréal
champions diversity. Comments by Munroe Bergdorf are at odds with
our values and so we have decided to end our partnership with her.”
Bergdorf defended her comments during
an appearance on Good Morning Britain.
“We need to speak about how we're
socialized as people and my post was based on socialization and
racism as a structure,” she said. “I think as society we're
taught certain things. We're taught that men are superior to women.
We're taught that women are meant to be submissive. We're taught
that gay people are meant to be ashamed of their sexuality. But it
doesn't mean that this is how things need to be.”
Host Pier Morgan called the model's
comments “a load of rubbish” and said that as a straight, white
man he was offended.
In a Facebook post, Bergdorf accused
L'Oreal of caring about “nothing but MONEY” and called on
followers to boycott the company.