Kanye West has once again made headlines for another controversy. This time, the musician is taking aim at the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement.
At his Yeezy season 9 Paris fashion show on Monday, West wore a T-shirt which read "White Lives Matter." He also posed hand-in-hand with conservative talk-show pundit Candace Owens.
"Everyone knows that Black Lives Matter was a scam," West wrote in a since-deleted Instagram story. "Now it's over. You're welcome."
The Black Lives Matter organization states its mission is "to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes." Despite advocating for the equal treatment of people of any race, detractors often accuse BLM of being anti-white, a strawman fallacy levied simply because the group focuses on primarily Black issues.
The "all lives matter" mantra came in response to BLM's name, another strawman accusing them of inequality. The more insidious "white lives matter" followed, with its utilizers often directly advocating for white supremacy. It has since become a colloquial dog-whistle for members of the far-right.
Before it was taken down, the official "white lives matter" site claimed that “the white way of life” was under attack by “homosexuality and mixed-race relationships." The Southern Poverty Law Center designated it as a racist hate-group.
In response to West's stunt, several prominent celebrities have spoken up. The night of the show, Jaden Smith reportedly walked out upon seeing West and Owens. Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber have also publicly called out West since, with his longtime business partner Jason Lee finally severing ties. Director and editor of Vogue, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, called West's behavior "incredibly irresponsible and dangerous."
She wrote in an Instagram story: “The t-shirts this man conceived, produced, and shared with the world are pure violence. There is no excuse, there is no art here. As we all work through the trauma of this moment, especially those of us who suffered in that room, let’s have some grace for one another."
In response, West posted a picture of Karefa-Johnson, mocking her choice in outfit and physical appearance.
“This is not a fashion person," he wrote in another deleted post. Referencing former Vogue editor Anna Wintour, he continued, "I KNOOOOOW ANNA HAAAATES THESE BOOTS."
In response, Vogue released a statement supporting Karefa-Johnson. The company even revealed that she and West have spoken since his online harassment of her.
"Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large and longtime contributor," the statement read. "She was personally targeted and bullied. It's unacceptable. Now more than ever, voices like hers are needed. In a private meeting with Ye today she once again spoke her truth in a way she felt best, on her terms."
West claimed he and Karefa-Johnson, while still in disagreement, engaged in a conversation about the issue where he says they both apologized. Despite their supposed understanding, Karefa-Johnson's original criticisms still hold the utmost weight and importance in this conversation.
"The danger is that, this very premise, the idea that white supremacy is in danger of extinction is what justifies mass incarceration, murder en masse, indeed even the advent of slavery," she wrote.
