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Alix Earle ‘deeply regrets’ using racial slurs

Vaseline August 28, 2024

Alix Earle breaks silence on screenshots from her past that show her using a racial slur, circulating online.

The “Hot Mess with Alix Earle” podcast host and TikTok star, who was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 — social media list this year, confirmed the screenshots were real and apologized for her ignorance as a teenager.

Earle, 23, wrote in an Instagram Story on Monday: “A few weeks ago, screenshots surfaced from my old ask.fm account that showed me using a swear word in the summer of 2014. I want to take responsibility and make it clear that I was 13 years old and did not understand the deeply offensive meaning behind that word.”

She continued: “That is no excuse to use that word in any context or at any age. That is absolutely not the way I speak or what I stand for. I am deeply sorry that my words have hurt many and led people to believe that I have prejudice in my heart. I promise you that this could not be further from the truth.

“My platform has always been about positivity, entertainment, and uplifting others, and will continue to be so. I sincerely apologize to those I have offended.”

The screenshots were shared two years ago, but began gaining traction earlier this month. Earle said she was advised not to address the issue and accepted responsibility for not talking about it until now.

“I regret how I handled this situation, letting too many people try to stop me from saying anything for too long. I didn’t know how to handle it and unfortunately the advice I was given, while well-intentioned, was wrong,” she wrote.

“There is no one to blame but myself for not taking a stand and following my gut instinct to speak up right away. In the absence of a response, my silence has given space for others to fill the void with rumors that are simply not true.”

Earle, who grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Miami, started blowing up on TikTok in 2022 when she opened up about her acne struggles. Earlier this year, she was the first cover star of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit digital issue and walked the South Beach runway for Miami Swim Week.

In her interview, Earle explained that her brand is about “being authentically herself,” and she’s been open about her breast augmentation and struggles in her life, including an eating disorder.

“I really think people have the wrong idea about me,” she told Sports Illustrated.

“There are millions of people online who get it wrong all the time. And I think my audience has a good understanding of who I am and why I post what I post. People who have a misunderstanding of me don’t really engage with all of my content and don’t see everything that I do.”