Vocal black, transgender model Munroe Bergdorf to work with L'Oreal again 3 years after termination
9th June 2020
Black and transgender rights activist model Munroe Bergdorf is going to work with L'Oréal Paris again after she her employment with the brand was previous terminated in 2017 when she made controversial comments on Facebook in the wake of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. According to the Daily Mail Bergdorf said various controversial comments against white people including the claim that all white people were guilty of "racial violence" and that the white race was "the most violent and oppressive force of nature on Earth". These comments lead to her being fired from L'Oréal UK's "True Match" campaign on September 1st 2017 after having been previously employed as the brands first ever openly transgender model.
However according to Sky News.com on 9th June 2020 Bergdorf said that " L'Oreal Paris offered her a consultancy role on their UK diversity and inclusion advisory board which she has taken up so she can "practice what I preach". "As an activist, part of my work is to encourage big businesses to understand their responsibility with regards to diversity and inclusion," Bergdorf said in a statement.
"I believe in accountability and progress, not cancellation and grudges. While what happened three years ago was extremely traumatic for me personally and professionally, sitting on a board to provide a voice and a champion for black, trans and queer voices in the beauty industry is important for me.
"It feels good to finally have closure on this matter and I look forward to new beginnings with the L'Oreal team.""
L'Oréal Paris president Delphine Viguier (who was appointed in 2019) spoke to Munroe Bergdorf and apologised for how she was treated in by the brand in 2017. Speaking to Sky News Viguier said that she had an ""honest, transparent and vulnerable conversation" with Bergdorf in which they listened and shared their feelings and perspectives." she continued to say ""While we both agree today that negative labels should not be used to define all individuals in any group, I understand much better the pain and trauma that were behind Munroe's words back then and the urgency she felt to speak in defence of the Black community against systemic racism," she said."
Looks like a long awaited happy ending for both Munroe Bergdorf and L'Oréal Paris!
Munroe Bergdorf above