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Camila Cabello’s Double Edged Sword
How a racist system helped and hindered her.
In December 2019, the internet cancelled Camila Cabello. Racist tumblr posts she penned as a teenager had resurfaced. She issued an apology that condemned her own “hurtful and horrible” comments. She claimed she was uneducated at the time and has grown since. In spite of this apology, her posts still hurt many in the music community.
Normani, Cabello’s former Fifth Harmony bandmate, spoke out regarding Camilla’s posts in a Rolling Stone interview. She said Camilla’s posts tarnished the safe space and sisterhood of 5H. The only black member of the now-disbanded girl group, Normani faced racial profiling and insensitivity from its beginning. Cabello’s resurfaced posts validates the rumor the other 5H members had been oblivious to the racism Normani faced.
No ones’ career trajectory is worth remaining complicit in a racist system.
Camila’s apology is the classic white girl apology. (Even though Camila isn’t white.) It admits blame, but gives reasons as to why her actions were not actually her fault. It takes blame but not accountability. Sure, racism is taught. Camila wasn’t born with it. She might not have consciously “chosen it”- bias can operate on an unconscious level. But that’s how…
