Gigi Hadid came under fire this week when a Snapchat photo appeared to show her mocking Asian features. Now, Chinese-American actress Chloe Bennet has responded to Hadid with an inspirational message.
Bennet, who plays Daisy Johnson on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., posted a letter to Hadid on Instagram to remind her followers why photos and actions like these are so harmful, even if made in jest.
"Dear Gigi Hadid, As a kid, (and frankly as an adult) people would make fun of me for being Chinese. For having "Asian eyes". I would laugh it off because it was always a "joke", and if I didn't I was being "too sensitive". But in reality it made me feel horrible," Bennet wrote. "Like, just BEING ME was a joke that was not meant to be taken seriously."
The actress added that she became "embarrassed" of her identity and dyed her hair blonde to "look less Asian."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"Fortunately, now I know that none of this is true. That my value does not come from how I LOOK, but from my CHARACTER. From how I treat others," Bennet added. She also noted that the video doesn't make Hadid racist. But it does mean that she should be careful about how she uses her platform.
Bennet's message is a good reminder to people who might say others are being "too sensitive" or that something was "just a joke." Words matter, and it's up to us — celebrities and normals alike — to use them for good.