TEEN Vogue’s staffers are protesting over their new editor-in-chief’s allegedly “racist and homophobic tweets” from when she was 17. Employees of the online publication slammed former Axios reporter Alexi McCammond just days after the 27-year-old was chosen as Teen Vogue’s new editor. Condé Nast, the parent company of Teen Vogue, announced on Thursday that McCammond […]
TEEN Vogue’s staffers are protesting over their new editor-in-chief’s allegedly “racist and homophobic tweets” from when she was 17.
Employees of the online publication slammed former Axios reporter Alexi McCammond just days after the 27-year-old was chosen as Teen Vogue’s new editor.
Condé Nast, the parent company of Teen Vogue, announced on Thursday that McCammond will take on the role starting March 24.
However, staffers were quick to slam their new top editor over controversial tweets she made in the past.
Teen Vogue’s staffers wrote the following note on March 8: “As more than 20 members of the staff of Teen Vogue, we’ve built our outlet’s reputation as a voice for justice and change — we take immense pride in our work and in creating an inclusive environment.
“That’s why we have written a letter to management at Condé Nast about the recent hire of Alexi McCammond as our new editor-in-chief in light of her past racist and homophobic tweets.
“We’ve heard the concerns of our readers, and we stand with you. In a moment of historically high anti-Asian violence and amid the on-going struggles of the LGBTQ community, we as the staff of Teen Vogue fully reject those sentiments.
“We are hopeful that an internal conversation will prove fruitful in maintaining the integrity granted to us by our audience.”
On the same day the letter was sent, McCammond wrote an email to her colleagues addressing “some offensive, idiotic tweets from when I was a teenager that perpetuated harmful and racist stereotypes about Asian Americans.”
In the email, obtained by The Washington Post, McCammond apologized “deeply” and admitted “there’s no excuse for language like that.”
“I am determined to use the lessons I’ve learned as a journalist to advocate for a more diverse and equitable world,” she added.
She then revealed that her “number one mission” is to make staffers “feel more confident, comfortable, and fearless in your storytelling and the boundaries we can push together as a team.”
The letter comes after “The Infatuation” editor Diana Tsui shared an Instagram post blasting McCammond for a “racist” series of tweets.
Tsui wrote in her post’s caption: “I’m tired of big media organizations pretending to give a damn about diversity and inclusion.”
Her criticism comes as the United States has seen a spike in Asian-American hate crimes.
Also in Tsui’s post was a screenshot of McCammond’s since-deleted tweets.
The tweets, which were posted in 2011, read: “Now googling how to not wake up with swollen, asian eyes” and “Outdone by Asian #whatelseisnew.”
Another reportedly read: “Give me a 2/10 on my chem problem, cross out all of my work and don’t explain what i did wrong…thanks a lot stupid asian T.A. you’re great.”
Tsui also shared a screen grab of the since-deleted tweets and her post has become viral.
Despite the recent backlash against McCammond, the 27-year-old also apologized for her “insensitive tweets” in 2019 and acknowledged she deleted them.
When McCammond’s new position was announced last week in a Thursday news release, she was praised for having “the powerful curiosity and confidence that embodies the best of our next generation of leaders,” by Vogue’s editorial director and chief content officer of Condé Nast, Anna Wintour.
The company followed up after McCammond’s controversial tweets resurfaced and confirmed why they hired her.
Condé Nast Chief Communications Officer Joe Libonati said in a statement to CNN Business on Monday: “Alexi McCammond was appointed editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue because of the values, inclusivity and depth she has displayed through her journalism.
“Throughout her career she has dedicated herself to being a champion for marginalized voices.”
The Sun reached out to Condé Nast’s communications team on Tuesday but did not immediately receive a response.
Meanwhile, McCammond’s boyfriend TJ Ducklo, 32, was recently suspended for a week without pay after allegedly making a threat to a journalist.
Ducklo, who announced on Twitter in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, was accused last month of threatening Politico reporter Tara Palmeri.
The top Joe Biden White House aide was allegedly attempting to suppress a story about his personal life, telling her: “I will destroy you.”
