Camila Cabello took to Twitter on Wednesday, December 18, to apologize for using racist and “deeply hurtful” language as a teenager.
“When I was younger, I used language that I’m deeply ashamed of and will regret forever,” the X Factor alum, 22, wrote in her social media apology. “I was uneducated and ignorant and once I became aware of the history and the weight and the true meaning behind this horrible and hurtful language, I was deeply embarrassed I ever used it.”
The former Fifth Harmony member continued, “I apologized then and I apologize again now. I would never intentionally hurt anyone and I regret it from the bottom of my heart … I can’t go back in time and change things I said in the past. Once you know better, you do better and that’s all I can do.”
Throughout her career, music lovers have pointed out Cabello’s past use of racist language and cultural appropriation. According to a 2018 Babe article, the “Señorita” singer frequently engaged in subtle racist language on social media and even used the N-word in direct messages on Instagram.
Screenshots of old tweets originally published by Babe show the “Never Be the Same” singer calling her bandmate Dinah Jane “ghetto fabulous” in 2012 and claiming to be a “gangster hood thug rat” in 2013. At the time, Cabello was about 16 years old.
The blog also demonstrated how Cabello’s language influenced her young fanbase, who were often caught calling Normani Kordei — another one of Cabello’s former bandmates — “Normonkey.”
Showing remorse, Cabello noted how she’s grown more aware of the importance of being a supportive ally to people in minority groups. As she issued her apology on Twitter, the VMA winner pledged to use her celebrity platform “to speak out about injustice and inequality.”
“Those mistakes don’t represent the person I am or a person I’ve ever been,” the former girl group member concluded on Wednesday. “I only stand and have ever stood for love and inclusivity … I was embarrassingly ignorant and unaware.”
