Southern Charm star Kathryn Dennis is being slammed on social media and being called a racist after she sent a black radio show host a monkey emoji during a direct message conversation. Dennis was arguing with radio host and activist Mika Gadsden over a planned local event, and the messages show that things got heated.
On Sunday, Gadsden called out Katie Shields – the owner of a Charleston, SC boutique – when she announced that she was organizing a Donald Trump rally called the “Trump Boat Parade.” Gadsden tweeted that in Charleston, you learn quickly that the face of white supremacy resembles that of “the boutique-owning, gatekeeping glitterati.”
This is what happens when a Black woman in #Charleston speaks up against white supremacy in the form of MAGA rallies. My comments re: Mylk Bar prompted this @BravoTV “actor” @KathrynDennis to taunt me with monkey emojis in my DMs. Along with a whole host of other names. pic.twitter.com/RbEd5CBcOz
— Mika Gadsden (@mikagadsden) May 11, 2020
She also posted a pic of Shields, and called her “reprehensible” for organizing a “nautical MAGA rally.” Gadsden says that Dennis started to “taunt” her on Instagram after the tweet by sending her a number of direct messages.
Dennis told Gadsden that being a supporter of President Trump doesn’t make her racist, but later sent the emoji when the exchange got heated.
“Grow a pair,” Dennis told Gadsden. “You’re an L 7 weeeeenieeeee. That’s how serious I take this,” Dennis wrote, adding a monkey emoji.
“This is what happens when a Black woman in #Charleston speaks up against white supremacy,” Gadsden wrote on Twitter along with a screenshot of part of the conversation.
Gadsden also claimed that Dennis called her “a whole host of other names.” Buzzfeed has revealed that the screenshots of the entire conversation – which have not been published – show that Dennis sent Gadsden 28 messages and called her a “psycho.” She also asked if she had “a mom.”
After Gadsden posted part of her exchange with Dennis, the Southern Charmer responded with an apology. She said that she didn’t mean anything by it, but admitted that “using a monkey emoji in my text was offensive.”
Part 2: ….I did not give it thought, and it was and is wrong. I know I am not that person. I know and will do better
— Kathryn C. Dennis (@KathrynDennis) May 11, 2020
“From the bottom of my heart I sincerely apologize to anyone and everyone I hurt. Although the context was not my intention, there are no ‘if ands or buts’ that excuse me did not give it thought, and it was and is wrong. I know I am not that person. I know and will do better,” wrote Dennis.
In response, Gadsden wrote: “Apology not accepted.”
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Fans on social media were not happy with Dennis’ use of the emoji. One wrote that “you cannot say that calling a black woman a monkey isn’t racist.” Another wrote that Dennis knew exactly what she was doing and she should be ashamed.
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