TikTok 'Mugshot Challenge': James Charles slammed for bleeding nose makeup photo that mimics domestic abuse
Popular social media influencer and beauty YouTuber James Charles has found himself in thick soup surrounding a photo that he posted on his social media lately. Taking part in TikTok’s "mugshot” challenge, Charles shared a photo of himself that turned out to be triggering and offended other users, as reported.
The challenge called for participants to create looks using make up and emulate police mugshots. Following the same, the 20-year old Vlogger and beauty influencer posed shirtless and with the help of makeup, added a black eye and bleeding nose. Although it was all cosmetics, it made Twitter and Instagram users very uncomfortable and they slammed the celebrity calling the look “triggering” and “offensive”.
One user commented on Charles’ photo saying,“You know I had to have two nose surgeries due to domestic violence. My nose is still crooked. I am reminded of those moments every day,” one woman tweeted. “This is not a subject matter to take lightly. You should know better. You need to apologize to everyone. This is triggering and offensive.”
“I don’t understand why this would be a trend. I love James but it’s not fun having your face bruised and not being able to cover them up. Maybe I’m being too sensitive but this made me feel really uncomfortable because I couldn’t take mine off. It made me feel so dehumanized”, said another, joining the conversation.
People are of the opinion that this social media challenge comes at a wrong time and is potentially dangerous when most people are locked up in their homes, for quarantine against coronavirus pandemic and domestic abuse victims have no choice but to be confined with their abusers.
Owing to the backlash from Twitter and Instagram users, and even his followers, Charles removed the post from his social profiles. Later, the beauty vlogger also responded to the comments clarifying that his intentions were not to offend anyone, and said, “Hi babe, I’m so sorry that you went through something so awful and traumatic”.
“It’s a tik tok trend going around where people post their ‘mugshots’ and has nothing to do with domestic violence whatsoever. love you.”
He posted an additional tweet saying, “This dumb trend has nothing to do with domestic abuse. what about action movies? halloween? special effects? simple bloody noses? this is nothing new.”
After deleting the photos from his social handles, he explained, “Despite the fact that hundreds of other influencers and artists have done something similar, I deleted the mugshot trend because it was never my intention to trigger anyone & it’s a waste of time trying to have an open discussion with people who hate me regardless.”