A transgender model has been fired by his employers after a Facebook rant in which he said “ALL white people are racist,”.
Munroe Bergdorf, 29, had just been unveiled as the “the face of modern diversity.” and was one of the five ambassadors for L’Oreal’s “YoursTruly True Match” campaign.
L’Oreal dropped Bergdorf claiming that the comments made were contrary to its values.
According to reports, he wrote on his Facebook page; “Honestly I don’t have energy to talk about the racial violence of white people any more. Yes ALL white people,
“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-aggression to terrorism, you guys built the blueprint for this s***,” the British man claimed. “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,” he said. “Until then stay acting shocked about how the world continues to stay f***** at the hands of your ancestors and your heads that remain buried in the sand with hands over your ears.”
The rant was deleted but it was too late as Berdorf’s employers had gotten wind of it and they acted swiftly.
“L’Oréal supports diversity and tolerance towards all people irrespective of their race, background, gender and religion,” a L’Oréal Paris UK spokesperson told The Sun. “The L’Oréal Paris True Match campaign is a representation of these values and we are proud of the diversity of the Ambassadors who represent this campaign.”
“We believe that the recent comments by Munroe Bergdorf are at odds with those values, and as such we have taken the decision to end the partnership with her,” the spokesperson continued. “L’Oréal remains committed to celebrating diversity and breaking down barriers in beauty.”
Bergdorf however said that his words have been twisted and taken out of context. He said; “This ‘rant’ was a direct response to the violence of WHITE SUPREMACISTS in Charlottesville. It was not written this week,” he told The Sun. “When I stated that ‘all white people are racist’, I was addressing that fact that western society as a whole, is a SYSTEM rooted in white supremacy – designed to benefit, prioritise and protect white people before anyone of any other race.”
“Unknowingly, white people are SOCIALISED to be racist from birth onwards. It is not something genetic. No one is born racist,” he said before attacking his former employers. “The irony of all this is that L’Oréal Paris invited me to be part of a beauty campaign that ‘stands for diversity’.”
“The fact that up until very recently, there has been next to no mainstream brands offering makeup for black women and ethnic minorities, is in itself due to racism within the industry,” he continued. “Most big brands did not want to sell to black women. Most big brands did not want to acknowledge that there was a HUGE demographic that was being ignored. Because they did not believe that there was MONEY to be made in selling beauty products to ethnic minorities.”
“If L’Oreal truly wants to offer empowerment to underrepresented women, then they need to acknowledge THE REASON why these women are underrepresented within the industry in the first place.”