Beauty Gurus Jeffree Star, James Charles Criticized For PR Shoots With Monkeys
Left image via Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com, right image via Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
A number of influencers have faced backlash for “exploiting animals” to promote a fashion company.
Earlier this week, photos and videos showing social media stars like Jeffree Star and James Charles posing with a baboon and capcuchin monkey on their shoulders went viral online.
The animals were brought to these influencers by Bananas Monkey, a clothing brand. Now, the influencers are being called out or exploiting animals and being hypocritical for posing with monkeys, since they often promote cruelty-free makeup products.
Journalist Yashar Ali shared a video of Star, Charles, Daisy Keech and Michael Yerger posing with the primates on Twitter, writing, “A company called Bananas Monkey sent around a baboon and another monkey with PR boxes for its launch to influencers.”
“Using primates like this is not only abusive, but also ends up encouraging private ownership of primates,” Ali added.
Fans of the beauty YouTubers have also spoken out against the photos of Charles and Star posing with monkeys on Twitter. “Ugh, can they stop using animals as props? It’s 2020, we don’t need this s**t anymore,” an angry user tweeted.
PETA has criticized the stunts as “bizarre and cruel promotion.” It has submitted a complaint to the US Department of Agriculture to investigate it as a violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
Keech and Yerger have since apologized for the act, though Star and Charles have not responded to the controversy.
1. A company called Bananas Monkey sent around a baboon & another monkey with PR boxes for its launch to influencers
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 11, 2020
Using primates like this is not only abusive, but also ends up encouraging private ownership of primates.@JeffreeStar @jamescharles @michaeleyerger @DaisyKeech pic.twitter.com/Up0D5Goz3a
Ugh can they just stop with using animals as props. It’s 2020, we don’t need this shit anymore. Wtf is behind this shit?
— Andrew Curry (@andrewcurryla) November 11, 2020
Absolutely GD horrific and these so-called influencers should be ashamed. How about you people start influencing kindness instead of cruelty, yes?
— 🇨🇦 Daylene🐾🌊 (@Heyday13) November 11, 2020
I dont know who Bananas Monkey is.. but toting around live monkeys from home to home for different influencers to use as props in photos IS NOT OK. Can we all collectively agree to stop animal exploitation in 2021? Good God.
— Kendall (@Kennydoesmakeup) November 10, 2020
Jeffree Star: My makeup brand is vegan and cruelty free!!! ⛔️
— Lucinda van 't Hull (@LucindavantHul1) November 10, 2020
JEFFREE STAR ALSO: possing with aligator on brand launch, possing with monkeys for fun 👀😭#jeffreestar #bloodmoney #jeffreestarcosmetics #hypocrite pic.twitter.com/8wKTYG1p31
[via Papermag, cover image via Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com, Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com]
