Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock this past week has at least heard that James Charles being "canceled." James is a YouTuber beauty guru who was recently put under fire after being exposed by former friend and also beauty YouTuber, Tati Westbrook. In a forty-three minute video, she discussed James as a person, specifically how he's self-interested and two-faced. Tati specifically notes how she endorses all of Charles' makeup palettes, yet promoted a gummy vitamin brand opposite of Tati's brand. Tati additionally said that James manipulates straight men into liking James, and claimed James responded that it's okay because he's famous. Even those outside of these two celebrities realms are getting heated up, and rightly so, over the excerpt of James being predatory to straight men.
Well known rapper Cardi B, in somewhat recent news, has admittedly said in her past that she would "drug and rob men" because she had limited options. Obviously, this is far less than acceptable, but there was much fewer media coverage concerning it, in contrast to James Charles' tea about coming onto straight men. Those who did hear about what Cardi B had admitted to doing in her past tried to "cancel" her, as many former fans of James are currently doing. Rather than apologizing from the get-go, Cardi B tried playing it off and tweeting memes with captions emphasizing that the attempt to "cancel" her is not in the least way phasing her. As the raucous didn't decrease, she did make a formal apology.
In no way is it possible to defend James Charles. Although there are no allegations that he has forced these straight men to do anything with him sexually against their will, he still verbally harassed them, feasibly pressuring them into doing things they wouldn't have done without the embarrassment. According to Tati, James accredits his ability to do this because of his fame.
This new scandal, similar to many recent scandals, shows how some with wealth think that it transfers into power. Not only power over society, but the people who make that society up as well. We need to respect these men harassed by both James Charles and Cardi B, neither of them were in the right, yet only one of them has been held accountable by the media more sufficiently.
