The internet seems to hate Bella Hadid right now. The supermodel sparked a ton of backlash after she posted an Instagram story that was deemed “racist”.
The controversial snapshot (pictured below) showed the supermodel at the airport with her leg up while facing a window viewing area. Bella was immediately accused of “kicking” the planes with Saudi and UAE flags on.
Prior to that, the 22-year-old model posted a screenshot of an opinion piece by the New York Times (in regards to the massacre in Sudan) asking “Why Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are backing military leaders who kill demonstrators”.
Coincidently, the candid photo in the airport was posted the photo. As someone said, “In Arab culture, showing the sole of your shoe, which is associated with the ground and seen as dirty, is considered an insult and many perceived the image as a sign of disrespect“.
It didn’t take long before the hashtag #BellaHadidIsRacist started trending on social media, with numerous netizens expressing their outrage and threatening to boycott fashion brands who have worked with Bella.
Not only did Bella and the Hadid family received a ton of angry messages, particularly from the Arab community, but fashion houses such as Dior and Versace were also not spared. The Hollywood star, who has mixed heritage – her mother is a Dutch-born American while her father is Palestinian-American, has since officially apologised.
She clarified that her intention was not to send a political or prejudiced message, adding that “this was an honest mistake”. While some showed sympathy for the New York-based star, others were less willing to forgive, insisting that because she’s a famous celebrity, she should have known better.
https://twitter.com/bellahadid/status/1140689153295888385
https://twitter.com/bellahadid/status/1140696913962053632
This isn’t the first time Bella and her sister, Gigi, have been criticised for their comments about their Middle Eastern heritage and Muslim faith.
Source: Independent UK.
