Why Alexi McCammond’s resignation from Teen Vogue is an important reminder to us all

Since the pandemic started, many instances of Asian hate and blame have occurred throughout the year. This week, with the San Francisco attack on an elderly Asian woman and the Atlanta rampage that claimed the lives of Asian women at three spas, it seems to be getting worse.

Now, Alexi McCammond, the would-be Teen Vogue editor-in-chief, is stepping down. And it makes sense.

She hadn't even officially started her role, but she already faced backlash for her decade-old anti-Asian tweets.

McCammond mocked Asians on Twitter, and recently, controversy erupted at Condé Nast over hiring the former Axios political reporter, given her past and the social climate that we're in.

In 2011, she tweeted, "Outdone by Asian" and "now googling how to not wake up with swollen asian eyes…." and "give me a 2/10 on my chem problem, cross out all of my work and don't explain what I did wrong…. thanks a lot, stupid Asian T.A. you're great."

(*Shakes head slowly and sighs*).

The Atlanta shooting and San Fran attack are more examples of how real racism is for Asian-American womenconversations.indy100.com

When someone posted the 2011 tweets on Instagram over the weekend, the public was rightfully appalled. Some people said that she was a teenager at the time, so these tweets shouldn't be held against her, especially if she had learned her lesson.

Others said that the racist nature should prevent her from obtaining the role no matter what.

I don't think she should get a pass because she was 17-years-old. She was still old enough to know better and not say things like that, even if it was a poor attempt at a joke or anger in particular situations.

I'll never forget when I was a young girl, and a classmate of mine blatantly said to my face that he didn't like n******. The way he said it was so nonchalant as well, almost as if it was a normal thing to say to someone.

It is unacceptable to make comments about a group of people because of the way they appear. It is incredibly disheartening since McCammond also happens to be a woman of color.

According to The Daily Beast, McCammond sent a note to her new colleagues on Monday, apologizing and expressing remorse for the course of events.

However, on Thursday, she tweeted that she decided to part ways with con nest along with her reasoning.

"I should not have tweeted what I did and I have taken full responsibility for that," the statement read in part. "I look at my work and growth in the years since, and have redoubled my commitment to growing in the years to come as both a person and as a professional."

Very true. She shouldn't have tweeted insensitive comments in the first place.

Even before that, fellow staff members had written a letter to management questioning her hire for the tweets and other reasons, The Daily Beast reported.

McCammond's resignation comes just two days after the calculated gunman shot up three Atlanta spas that killed eight people, six of them being Asian women.

Ultimately, this is a cautionary tale of how much words have weight. So, be careful what you say or put online. It may resurface.

Do you have something to say about this topic? Sign up to submit a post today!