For the Piers Morgans of the world, yes, using the n-word is racist. You know, that word you whisper when you're singing along to rap songs. I can't believe I even have to say this but, seriously, stop using it. Somehow, this debate is actually happening right now on Twitter between transgender activist and model Munroe Bergdorf and transphobia and ignorance poster boy Piers Morgan. As you would expect, things aren't going well.
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It all began earlier this month when Bergdorf and Morgan got into an argument about racism on Good Morning Britain after Bergdorf was fired from L'Oreal for calling out white privilege and casual racism, which of course hurt Morgan's feelings. "I want you to explain why we shouldn't be offended, as white people," he said. When she then explained why white people shouldn't take it offensively and should instead recognize the systemic racism that exists in the world, Morgan did what he does best--he got offended that someone would criticize straight white men like himself. "I, as a straight white guy who's not remotely racist, get very offended by that."
Keep that last part in mind because now, weeks later, Morgan has become the champion of free speech in a conversation about the n-word after white sorority girls were rightly criticized for saying the word while singing Kanye West's "Gold Digger." His "hot take" on the controversy was, of course, to say that it's not the girls fault, it's the rap industry's fault and he could use the word online in regards to the story because he'd really like it to be banned completely. The problem with the whole situation is that it's not his place as a white person to make any argument for or against a word and, as for the girls, they chose to say that word while singing. I've sang along to "Gold Digger" more time than I can count and not said that word. It's possible.
In response to Morgan's daft defense of these girls using the n-word while singing along to
Gold Digger," he's gone and dug himself into a hole, albeit one that's somehow not deep enough to get rid of him completely yet. Thankfully, Bergdorf stepped in to do what she does best and shut him down. "The gag is I lost my job for calling out racism. Yet I can guarantee you [Piers Morgan] keeps his. Coz it's fine for white men 2 act this way," she says. "For a man who felt the need to scream and shout like a toddler in a supermarket aisle when I confronted him about racism, he seems to be quite happy embodying the very problem that I was highlighting I the first place."
Britain's favorite bigot, meanwhile, defended himself against Bergdorf by calling people "creatures" and "snowflakes;" saying that "many black Americans disagree over this point" while not grasping that as a non-Black person, his opinion has no place; and literally still using the word repeatedly on his Twitter after agreeing with someone that the word means "victim of white supremacy." So, just another day in the life of a privileged white guy who has the freedom to say whatever he wants without punishment, which is exactly what Bergdorf spoke out against.
