MAC Cosmetics has come under fire following accusations of racism from former employees.
Karla Quiñonez Leon, an Afro-Latina makeup artist, took to Instagram last week to share her experiences of racism while working in a MAC store in Brussels, Belgium, in 2017.
In a lengthy post, she explained that it was her ‘dream’ to work for MAC and that one of the reasons she wanted to become a makeup artist was because so many Black people are given the ‘wrong foundation’, and she had hoped to change that.
She goes on to add that the makeup brand’s treatment of Black people is ‘disgusting’.
‘I was so naive to think that I was going to work at a place where equality existed and Black lives really matter,’ Karla captioned her post.
‘The way they treat Black people at MAC is disgusting.’
In a candid portrayal of her former workplace, Karla shares how she was told not to spend too much time with Black customers, and that she could be ‘more rough with them because they’re used to pain and can take it.’
Other makeup artists soon followed suit, sharing their own harrowing stories of working for MAC.
A woman named Ashlee got in touch with Karla and told her that she was approached by the company to become an assistant manager in one of their Belgium stores in 2018.
When Ashlee put together her new team, she was told it was ‘too Black’.
Meanwhile, another makeup artist called out MAC for the company using her as a ‘Black seller’ and was told to ’empty their wallet as much as possible’.
Once the stories emerged, MAC faced intense backlash from customers, who demanded an apology – which the company issued yesterday, a week after Karla’s original Instagram post was shared.
‘In the last week, we at MAC Belgium have heard and reflected on raw and painful experiences courageously shared with us on social media,’ an official statement read on the makeup brand’s Instagram.
‘We want to thank the individuals who have come forward and let them know how deeply sorry we are for the pain they felt and are still feeling.
‘Our listening is not silence. Listening leads to learning. And everything we have heard and learned has helped to influence how we will take action now and for our collective future.’
The company added that it will further implement its ‘zero tolerance’ policy on discrimination and that ‘this is only the beginning’.
‘This is only the beginning,” the statement read.
‘Some of the actions will be immediate, others will take time, but we will ensure that all are lasting and impactful.
‘We pledge to hold ourselves accountable, which builds on our long-standing commitment to inclusion and equality for all ages, all races, all genders.’
Karla responded to the company’s post by sharing the image they used, which has the words ‘Listen. Learn. Act. Change’ on a black background.
‘On day seven of fighting this, we got what we asked for.. to acknowledge our experiences and to promise to do better in the future and an apology,’ she wrote.
‘I really do hope we get to see all those things in the future.’
MAC is not the only makeup brand that has been called out in recent weeks.
Model and activist Munroe Bergdorf recently revealed that she got fired from L’Oreal after she shared an anti-racist post on social media.
The cosmetics brand has since apologised and promised to donate €25,000 (£22,000) to Mermaids, a charity for transgender young people, and €25,000 to UK Black Pride.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/12/mac-cosmetics-slammed-12842736/
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