THE NEW editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue apologized on Wednesday for her decade-old tweets mocking Asian people. Alexi McCammond posted a letter to Twitter explaining she was “so sorry to have used such hurtful and inexcusable language” when she was a 17-year-old, adding “at any point in my life, it’s totally inexcusable.” McCammond, 27, addressed the […]
THE NEW editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue apologized on Wednesday for her decade-old tweets mocking Asian people.
Alexi McCammond posted a letter to Twitter explaining she was “so sorry to have used such hurtful and inexcusable language” when she was a 17-year-old, adding “at any point in my life, it’s totally inexcusable.”
McCammond, 27, addressed the letter to “Teen Vogue community, staff, readers, writers, photographers, content creators, and friends,” just days after employees of the publication surfaced her 2011 tweets.
In one tweet, McCammond wrote, “Now googling how to not wake up with swollen, asian eyes…”
“Outdone by Asian” she wrote in another.
McCammond’s tweets were originally found in 2019 when she first apologized for writing them, saying “I am deeply sorry to anyone I offended. I have since deleted those tweets as they do not reflect my views or who I am today.”
The tweets again resurfaced over the weekend after Conde Nast announced McCammond would be EIC of the mag starting March 24.
McCammond is an Axios political reporter. Teen Vogue often tackles political issues, forcing some to question her “past racist and homophobic tweets,” according to a statement released by 20 Teen Vogue staffers.
The statement argued her hiring doesn’t correlate with the publication’s “inclusive environment,” especially during a high rise in anti-Asian violence.
“What an awful introduction we’ve had to each other this week,” McCammond wrote in her letter.
“This has been one of the hardest weeks of my life in large part because of the intense pain I know my words and my announcement have caused so many of you,” she continued.
“I’ve apologized for my past racist and homophobic tweets and will reiterate that there’s no excuse for perpetuating those awful stereotypes in any way.”
Nast defended its decision to place McCammond in charge of the publication, saying she “was appointed editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue because of the values inclusivity, and depth she has displayed throughout her journalism.”
“Throughout her career she has dedicated herself to being a champion for marginalized voices,” it went on to say.
McCammond echoed those thoughts.
“I am deeply sorry that our introduction has happened in this way and I’m asking you to judge us based on the work that we do from here on out,” the note added.
