The N-word has a long and painful history for the African American community, dating back to slavery. During the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the first Africans to arrive in the United States were referred to by the slur, deriving from the Latin word for “black.” Over time, it has become an incredibly dehumanizing term to the Black community.
“It’s really tied into the idea that African people aren’t really human beings,” said Kehinde Andrews, professor of Black studies at Birmingham City University.
Many non-Black public figures including Madonna, Charlie Sheen and Paris Hilton, have faced heavy criticism for using the N-word. Their actions have prompted ongoing conversations about who, if anyone, is permitted to use the word, even when the intent may not be explicitly racist.
Most recently, these conversations have arisen because of “Love Island USA” season seven contestant Huda Mustafa, who faced backlash for laughing on a livestream after a viewer used a racial slur to refer to her fellow former contestant, Olandria Carthen. Immediately afterwards, Mustafa and her boyfriend ended the call and then expressed confusion and shock over the incident.
While Mustafa herself did not say the word, the incident has prompted conversations about casual racism and its painful impact on different communities. She released two statements on Instagram, the first downplaying the incident and the second issuing a direct apology to her former castmate.
“Olandria – it is now clear that this comment was targeted at you, and I apologize for my immediate reaction. My reaction in that moment came from being caught off guard, not from finding the word or situation funny. It was a nervous, uncomfortable reaction that I recognize was inappropriate,” Mustafa said.
She concluded the apology by stating her intent to donate to the NAACP, following Carthen’s Instagram story post about the hurtful impact of the word, and included organizations dedicated to “educating and uplifting the community,” as well as how to donate to them.
Following the incident, Huda Beauty ended their collaboration with Mustafa and released a statement on Instagram. “We are truly disappointed by Huda Mustafa’s recent live and we take all forms of racism very seriously,” the statement reads. “While we don’t believe her actions reflect her character, we found them deeply upsetting.”
“I think that she shouldn’t have laughed, whether she heard Olandria’s name or whether she just heard the word, because it’s not funny,” said Selena Johnson, a second-year international studies and socio-legal studies major at the University of Denver.
Johnson also discussed the other “Love Island USA” season seven cast members and their responses to the recent controversy, as well as past racist posts and rhetoric some of them have shared or liked.
“I think half of them don’t genuinely care and just dislike Huda and want the opportunity to attack her. I feel that if you care about racism, you should speak about it when it is targeted at any group, which none of the cast members have done,” said Johnson.
This controversy follows a long line of anti-Black racism impacting pop culture and the African American community in general. No matter the context, it is crucial to recognize the word’s harmful impact on Black communities and understand that the word can still hurt people.
