Alix Earle has apologized for racist remarks she made on social media as a teenager.
Earle, 23, issued a statement via TikTok and her Instagram Stories on Monday, August 26, after multiple posts in which she used the N-word circulated online.
“A couple of weeks ago, screenshots surfaced from my old ask.fm account showing me using a slur in the summer of 2014,” the TikToker wrote. “I am taking accountability and want to make it clear that I was 13 years old and did not understand the deeply offensive meaning behind that word. That is no excuse for using that word in any context or at any age. That absolutely is not the way I speak or what I stand for.”
She continued, “I am deeply sorry that my words have hurt many and have led people to believe that I have any prejudice in my heart. I promise you that could not be further from the truth. My platform has always focused on positivity, entertainment, and uplifting others, and will continue to do so. I am sincerely sorry to those I have offended.”
Earle stated that she regrets “how I handled this situation, allowing too many people to talk me out of saying something for too long. I wasn’t sure how to handle it and unfortunately the advice I was given, although well intended, was wrong.”
She said that she had “no one to blame but myself for not standing my ground and going with my gut to speak out right away.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Earle’s rep for comment.
As a result, “my silence allowed others to fill the void with rumors that simply aren’t true,” added the influencer, who boasts more than 7 million followers on TikTok and hosts the podcast “Hot Mess With Alix Earle.”
She referenced rumors that she tried to trademark her old posts, “which is absolutely ridiculous and untrue,” as well as gossip “that a brand announced they are no longer working with me, even though we have never been in conversations with them about a partnership in any capacity.”
In conclusion, she wrote, “Regardless of what’s being said online, I wanted to come on here to address the facts and most importantly apologize.”