Photo: Instagram
His allyship is questionable.
By Nia Tipton — Written on Oct 22, 2021
Reality star Harry Jowsey has issued an apology to the LGBTQ community after calling YouTuber James Charles a homophobic slur in an audio recording that began to circulate.
Jowsey made the comment on his podcast, “Tap In,” during the recording of the latest episode.
And though the reality-star-turned-influencer was quick to apologize, his comments contradict his newfound image as an LGBTQ ally.
What did Harry Jowsey say about James Charles?
In the clip, which is no longer part of the podcast episode, the ‘Too Hot To Handle’ star can be heard in the background speaking to someone about makeup guru James Charles.
“James Charles is trying to f*** me ... the makeup artist. You don't know who he is? Just some f*****,” Jowsey remarked.
The audio recording was apparently not supposed to be a part of the episode, as it was a conversation Jowsey was having with a member of his team, but listeners were able to clearly make out what he was saying, posting the clip online.
The two crossed paths during an event in Los Angeles with other influencers at a bar called 40 Love to celebrate photographer Bryant Eslava's birthday last year.
The two social media stars have also interacted on Instagram, with Charles commenting on one of Jowsey’s posts last week.
Jowsey gained popularity on Netflix’s hit reality show ‘Too Hot To Handle’ during his appearance in the first season.
The reality star started his podcast “Tap In With Harry Jowsey” back in March 2021 and has had a few influencer guests on his show including Jeffree Star, Chantel Jeffries, and Tana Mongeau.
The podcast episode is still available to watch, although it’s been shortened from it’s original 40-minute length to 27 minutes.
After the clip began circulating, Jowsey addressed the comment in an Instagram live as well as in a statement to TMZ.
“The person that I said these things about I did immediately apologize. I've mended things in private. I just wanted to come on here and say that I am extremely embarrassed about myself, my actions, and the fact that I let such a word slip out,” Jowsey said in the livestream.
In his statement to TMZ, Jowsey voiced his “embarrassment” over using the slur, and mentioned speaking with James Charles privately to discuss the incident.
“I'm deeply embarrassed that I used such an offensive term so casually in conversation. I spoke with James already privately and I look forward to using this as a learning experience and not forgetting the weight that my words carry. I also want to sincerely apologize to the entire LGBTQ+ community who I wholeheartedly support,” Jowsey said.
Harry Jowsey was previously praised for supporting trans rights.
Much of the criticism over Jowsey using a homophobic slur comes after he showed his support for transgender women during an episode of the “BFFs” podcast with Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards.
During the podcast, Jowsey admitted to hooking up with Nikita Dragun, saying that he “sees trans women as real women and doesn’t see it as a big deal.”
Many people praised Jowsey for seemingly affirming his support with the trans community, and taking strides to break the stigma around people being transphobic towards trans women as well as misgendering them.
But, it seems that if Jowsey has “to take time to educate” himself over the use of a clearly offensive word then maybe his allyship isn’t as commendable as people originally thought.
At the end of the day, there is no reason a word that is extremely offensive and harmful to the gay community should be in a straight man’s vocabulary.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.