Are the writers aware of the absurdity of their plight? X. The death of George Floyd has re-ignited a global movement against the police killings of black people, and with it, there are renewed calls for American media companies to root out structural racism, with some challenging the practices of senior leadership. “You were right — even though I’ve been able to write so intimately about every other experience of my life over the past decade, I’ve fallen short here,” Medine continued in her Wednesday post. Man Repeller Founder Leandra Cohen announced she would be taking a step back from Man Repeller after facing criticism from readers. Medine Cohen had a Zoom call with the Man Repeller team on Monday, where she announced the publication would close. Perhaps, dear reader, we ask too much. Leandra Medine (now Cohen) has always made me feel some kind of way. Then, a second open letter appeared, in which Cohen suggested she was “humbled by the depth of wisdom on display” — but apparently not humbled enough to bother actively working on her own shortcomings. Editor of Medium publications @the-style-list and @the-travel-list. “I have not been reached out to in any capacity. But for some reason, the world’s only just noticing it now. The magic sauce for meaningful relationships online. I have a lot of listening and learning and growing to do before I will truly know how to thoroughly make a sustained impact in the fight to eradicate systemic racism, but … Much more to come." I look like that time Michael Jackson made his skin white and had nose surgery to look even more like a white person, due to centuries of ingrained societal racism and childhood trauma! Related Medine Cohen stepped back from the company earlier this year after the company was criticized for a culture of racism and classism. A former beauty editor and now a freelance narcissist, you can find her work on Allure, GQ, Vogue (Teen and regular), Nylon, New York Magazine, Man Repeller (obviously), and sometimes the packaging of beauty products. Maybe I should take a side by side selfie and post it as a punch line! As a former editor, I have to ask the question: could you take rigorous discussion of equal rights seriously if it sits next to headlines like Chloë Sevigny’s Baby Is 6 Days Old and Already Cooler Than Me? Repeller continued to publish until October 19, but in a team Zoom call on Monday, employees were told that the publication would close. Employees will be receiving severance pay, an announcement for which will be made today. Explore, If you have a story to tell, knowledge to share, or a perspective to offer — welcome home. Powered by The Man Repeller site has been criticized for its "tone deaf" content and lack of diversity. “I am confirming that Repeller, formerly Man Repeller, is ending operations and offering employees severance pay,” Medine Cohen told the Cut in a statement. The Man Repeller site has been criticized for its "tone deaf" content and lack of diversity. Ignorance is part of the problem. Transfemme Gender Validation: A Mock Conversation With Society. Medine Cohen at New York Fashion Week in 2019. She instead announced that she had stepped down from the top job. There are renewed calls for American media companies to root out structural racism, with some challenging the practices of senior leadership. I hope everyone sees that this is another performative attempt to cover racist actions.”. I couldn’t think of any other way to put it, other than off. Man Repeller, the personal-blog-turned-fashion-label created by Leandra Medine Cohen, is ending operations. Hiring (and potentially tokenizing) new staff is not enough. For me, this was the most empty action of all; rather than learn, work, and deliver on her promise to ensure that Man Repeller’s content would forge a new, diverse path, she would instead run away and let other people deal with that whole thing. On September 9, the company formerly known as Man Repeller announced it would drop the gendered term and go by Repeller. Is it really any wonder that when Cohen posted a vague open letter about how she could create “a sustained impact in the fight to eradicate systemic racism”, without detailing any specific actions at all (other than linking to a few bestselling books), she opened herself up to criticism? In fact, I was surprised that anyone was surprised. Medine Cohen announced that she was stepping back from leadership of the site in June, as Man Repeller faced criticism for its lack of diverse perspectives and what many readers felt was an inadequate response … Are Investments in Tricked-Out Virtual Experiences Actually Worth It for Shoe Brands in a Post-Pandemic Era? And criticism certainly came — firstly, via the general condemnation of its privileged, white-centric nature of the content and team, and secondly via direct accusations of racism within the company. “As a former POC employee that was let go during COVID-19, this ‘apology’ is a slap in the face,” Sabrina Santiago wrote. SUBSCRIBE TO Fashion. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Here's What All the Celebrities Wore to Sit Front-Row at the Kate Spade Fall 2019 Show at NYFW, “Hiring POC and bringing them into a workplace rooted in white supremacy norms is not helping. Leandra Medine Cohen said she would take a step back from Man Repeller following criticisms over lack of diversity. Separately, Man Repeller and I will be part of the solution. To submit to this publication, email the editor at biancamoneill @gmail.com. Man Repeller, a fashion blog created by Leandra Medine Cohen that attracted criticism for racist practices, will cease publication. I would, however, ask: how many times has Man Repeller written about a quest to find Taraji P. Henson’s china?). “That’s because this is more than just an exploration of my feelings. Learn more, Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Leandra Medine Cohen Returns to Man Repeller After Diversity Controversy (Side note: There was an excellent comment under the open letter that I now can’t find — links and screenshots welcome so that I can credit the poster — which pointed out that luxury and ‘richness’ is not the exclusive domain of white women, and fair point. With More People Getting Outdoors, Here’s Why Trail Running Shoes Are the Next Big Thing, Here Are All the Footwear Trade Shows Coming Up in 2021 — In-Person and Online, The Heart and Sole of the Footwear Industry. This is her legacy; it is up to her, and her alone, to right these wrongs. The latest development in the racial reckoning of women’s media. So when I saw that Man Repeller — founded and run by Cohen — was being accused of racism within its ranks, I was far from surprised. ... Refinery29, Man Repeller and Bon Appétit. To the casual reader, sites like Man Repeller, Refinery29, and Cosmopolitan were making strides to correct an outdated image of women’s media. "We want it to be clear that we're a brand made by and for the full range of odd eggs, banana nut loaves, and curiously spicy sweet potato fries who want to find a community online," the Instagram announcement read. WordPress.com VIP. All rights reserved. There were also big things — like that time she compared herself to a post-surgery Michael Jackson — that were blatantly gross. Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine Cohen has announced that she will be stepping back from the fashion and lifestyle platform she founded following widespread criticism of the publication’s response to the Black Lives Matter movement.. Sable Yong. Would you place faith in the rigorous editorial standards of a website that also publishes articles like There’s a New Twilight Book Coming and My Heart Is Pounding? The team deserves a chance to show you what Man Repeller can be with me on the sidelines so I’m going to step back and let them show you.”, A post shared by Leandra (Medine) Cohen (@leandramcohen) on Jun 10, 2020 at 5:19pm PDT. Stories like “Please Help Us Find Dakota Johnson’s China” would be the perfect troll, if not for the fact that these stories are written with such a level of earnest fervour so as to render them almost farcical. So when I saw that Man Repeller — founded and run by Cohen — was being accused of racism within its ranks, I was far from surprised. In some ways, it was a slow fade. In a team Zoom call on Monday, the publication's founder, Leandra Medine Cohen, told employees the publication would close. 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Some Twitter users took to social media to suggest Cohen’s words ran counter to how she operates her site, pointing to news that a black employee was recently fired from Man Repeller. Leandra Cohen of popular fashion blog Man Repeller has announced plans to step back from the platform following widespread criticisms of the publication’s response to current Black Lives Matter protests, ignited by the death of George Floyd. Equating upper-class, first-world, financial liquidity, in the form of access to luxury items, to freedom? She is referring to the backlash she received after penning a lengthy blog post on June 1 as a response to anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter Movement where she committed to featuring underrepresented voices on the site and standing against racism. It’s Heartbreaking That RBG Passes As Record Numbers of Women Fall Out Of the Workforce. However, more backlash ensued, this time a former employee spoke out, describing Cohen’s apology as disgraceful. Or are they simply so wrapped up in the minutia of their insignificant problems that they genuinely think the average person would relate to an hours-long search for a $90 bowl that was ‘so close in spirit’ to Dakota’s that it allowed their ‘optimism to double in size’? NEW YORK, United States — The fashion website Repeller, until recently known as Man Repeller, is winding down operations and plans to shut down, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. Write on Medium, compared herself to a post-surgery Michael Jackson, Please Help Us Find Dakota Johnson’s China, announced that she had stepped down from the top job, Chloë Sevigny’s Baby Is 6 Days Old and Already Cooler Than Me, There’s a New Twilight Book Coming and My Heart Is Pounding, My Resignation from the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas, What I Learned From Working With Nuns on the Bus. The move comes following discrimination allegations and criticisms over a lack of diversity at the site. “Why have all your Black and POC staff left/been fired? In fact, I was surprised that anyone was surprised. On Wednesday night, Cohen posted a statement on Instagram: “Man Repeller was founded to celebrate self expression in all of its forms but it has become clear that I’ve failed to deliver on this mission. Date: June 10, 2020. Following the call-outs, Cohen then wrote another blog post last week, apologizing for her “insufficient explanation” on how she plans to change the way Man Repeller operates. Please fill out this field with valid email address. Often it was the little things — like this reference to “luxury=freedom”, for example, that seemed so tone deaf to the average consumer. Leandra Medine Cohen announced late Wednesday that she is stepping back from Man Repeller after readers called her out for a lack of diversity in content and employees. Follow her on Instagram at @bianca.oneill. Cohen, who launched the popular fashion lifestyle blog in 2010, confirmed with The Cut that the company, which she described as self-funded since its launch, is shutting down due to financial challenges. How funny! The Style List is an independent fashion publication with a feminist lean. Leandra Medine Cohen, the founder of the fashion blog Man Repeller, said she would “step back” after criticism of her company’s response to systemic racism. Man Repeller's appeal extended beyond industry professionals, too. Sable is a New York City-based writer. Take a moment to consider the privileged ignorance at work here: lol! Man Repeller has always been a beacon of white female exclusivity; a(nother) space for the fashion industry to uphold as an inclusive space, when it was anything but. Leandra Medine Cohen's Man Repeller Is Shutting Down Man Repeller, the personal-blog-turned-fashion-label created by Leandra Medine Cohen, is ending operations. You need to reflect on your own complicit actions,” one user commented on the post. The problem with the mass exodus of the ‘girl boss’ Leaders from The Wing, Man Repeller, and several other female-led companies stepped down. Leandra Medine Cohen is leaving her post at Man Repeller, the fashion blog she started a decade ago. Leandra Medine Cohen is leaving her post at Man Repeller, the fashion blog she started a decade ago. I want to explicitly state on our site that Man Repeller will not remain silent in the face of police brutality and white supremacy. Not that she has not made mistakes but It does feel like uhhh at what point is it not a completely different website. However, in this case, Man Repeller IS Leandra. Want to read more articles like this one? Cohen in turn replied in the comment section looking to continue the conversation. The entire culture of the company needs to be re-examined as you seem to lose POC staff and Queer staff at an astounding rate.”. Leandra Medine Cohen in her apartment in New York. Cohen was responding to the influx of comments she received on a Man Repeller blog post on June 1 committing to standing against racism and highlighting underrepresented voices. How do you prioritize wealth over people? It’s my ignorance. To be clear, this is not a criticism that I level at all senior representatives who simply step down in the face of such allegations — in most cases, this is an appropriate action, in the face of their failings, to make way for a more diverse team to thrive. The idea that Cohen was a ‘man repeller’ — a model-skinny, cis, white woman, married to an investment banker, and living in Manhattan’s East Village — was flawed from the outset. Bianca O’Neill is a columnist at Herald Sun, fashion writer at Broadsheet, travel writer at The Upsider, and the editor of Medium’s The Travel List travel publication. Which is why the news that the site was shutting down, announced last week, impacted so many.. (And here we are complaining about Gwenny’s Goop… at least it does what it says on the box.). Instagram @ bianca.oneill. © 2021 Fairchild Publishing, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC.FN and Footwear News are registered trademarks of Fairchild Publishing, LLC. Only time will tell if this Leandra-free pivot will actually mean anything at all. Separately, Man Repeller and I will be part of the solution.”. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Leandra’s stepping down is a coward’s act — there are no two ways about it. Fashion and Beauty at Broadsheet. If Man Repeller is to pursue a space where they can meaningfully talk about #BLM — without the hypocritical employment of a mostly-white staff — they need to start with their voice. Job: Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Man Repeller. Man Repeller has not immediately replied to FN’s request to comment. Based on your actions thus far, this isn’t commitment — it’s public relations.”, Another user wrote, “The lack of diversity amongst the staff is something that needs to be seriously addressed at the highest levels. Features at Rolling Stone. Honestly at this point it feels like it’s not man repeller if she’s not involved.