Drag Race UK series three star Charity Kase apologises for historic racist tweets
The 24-year-old queen has said the tweets from eight years ago do not represent who she is today.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Instagram/BBC
Charity Kase, one of the queens taking part in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK seires, has apologised after historic racist tweets were uncovered.
The tweets from the now 24-year-old queen from Lancashire, date back around eight years to when she was 16 and include multiple uses of the N-word.
The queen was one of twelve announced to be on the upcoming series by the BBC last week ahead of the show’s premiere next month.
“I was 16 and uneducated at the time”
Posting a written statement on her Twitter page, Charity said: “Today some tweets surfaced from eight years ago which consist of me using disgusting and offensive language in a casual and colloquial way.
“I was 16 and uneducated at the time, unaware of cultural misappropriation and the impact of my use of language. I totally accept that this doesn’t excuse my behaviour. I want you to know how deeply sorry I am. I am not that same young boy today.
— Charity Kase (@thecharitykase) August 23, 2021
“I take full responsibility for these unacceptable tweets, and I hope you can understand that they do not represent me now or what I stand for today. Seeing them again has left me ashamed of myself,” she continued.
“I want to apologise unequivocally to all my fans, who are disappointed or offended by me and in particular to anyone whom I may have caused any form of trauma. Please forgive me. I have changed and grown and am committed to growing further to using the platform and privilege I have to amplify the voices of people of colour.”
Charity’s apology has drawn mixed responses from people online. While some have accepted her apology and hoped that she would indeed grow and learn from her mistakes, others argued there was no excuse for such behaviour.
Former Drag Race UK contestant, Crystal, appeared to come to Charity’s defence tweeting, “People should not be judged for things they said on the internet when they were a child.”
In a second tweet, she advocated that people “correct, educate, question” rather than judge.
It should go without saying if you follow me, but:
1) don’t use the N word
2) obviously it’s ok to be hurt if people do – I’m not trying to diminish that.I’m asking for some nuance.
Correct, educate, question – sure. Judge? No.
— Crystal | Black Lives Matter (@crystalwillseeu) August 24, 2021
The American singer, Kimberley Nichole, however, called out Charity’s use of her age at the time in her apology saying, “16 is young, but OLD ENOUGH to understand things slavery and the use of the N-word.”
— Kimberly Nichole (@KimNicky) August 24, 2021
In a statement, the BBC said: “The BBC is against racism in all its forms. These historical tweets were from when the individual was a minor. Charity has expressed sincere remorse, apologised, and made clear they have grown and changed as a person.”
The Attitude September Style Issue, is out now.
Subscribe in print and get your first three issues for just £1 each, or digitally for just over £1.50 per issue.
It should go without saying if you follow me, but:
1) don’t use the N word
2) obviously it’s ok to be hurt if people do – I’m not trying to diminish that.I’m asking for some nuance.
Correct, educate, question – sure. Judge? No.
— Crystal | Black Lives Matter (@crystalwillseeu) August 24, 2021
— Charity Kase (@thecharitykase) August 23, 2021
— Kimberly Nichole (@KimNicky) August 24, 2021