Local blogger Xiaxue has hit back at Internet crowd who have been trying to "cancel" her by getting her sponsors to drop their partnerships with her.
What is going on?
At least one individual online dug up some of Xiaxue's old tweets from about 10 years ago, where she allegedly insinuated that people of a certain nationality tend to molest people and sexually assault domestic workers.
The old tweet triggered many other people online, and opinion soon coalesced with the crowd using the Twitter hashtag #PunishXiaxue as a rallying cry to "cancel" her.
Xiaxue also goes by the name Wendy Cheng.
Those who are infuriated have called on several brands, including Caltex, Benefit and Brother, and Fresh to end their ambassadorships or sponsorships with Xiaxue, or they are threatened with a boycott.
"No one wants to do business with a company that is represented by a racist and a transphobe," wrote one online commenter.
On July 6, Fresh, in response to the deluge on its Instagram account, announced that it has ended its partnership with Cheng.
It also announced that it would be closing its shops, office, and website on that day to commemorate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Day to "listen, learn, and evolve the way [they] work to fight racism and inequality in all its forms".
And while the brand did not specify what form this learning and evolving takes, netizens appeared pleased with the outcome.
Cheng "disappointed" by brands' decisions
Speaking to Mothership, Cheng said that she is "disappointed" with the brands' decisions, but she understands where they are coming from because they were "harassed by these trolls".
She also went on to blast cancel culture, and specifically, the way that brands react to cancel culture — by distancing themselves from an influencer who is targeted by a mob.
Working with an influencer does not equate endorsing them, said Cheng.
"All they're saying is that well I think that your audience might like my brand. I think that you will do a good job reviewing my brand to them. And I think that you can sell my brand — that's basically what they're saying."
Cheng also had choice words for the "woke mob", whom she said might not be always objectively correct.
"They actually represent a very tiny but very loud minority of people. And I think that brands should realise that it is a losing battle for us because every time you embolden the mob, they grow stronger. They believe they're more powerful, and it entices them to continue in this very toxic behavior."
It's blackmail, she said simply.
Cheng also opined that if brands do not give in to the demands of the mob, their sales will not be largely affected after the controversy dies after a couple of weeks.
Cheng: "You are not going to bully me into silence"
In response to the ongoing backlash, Cheng put up a lengthy Instagram post on her account, insisting that she will not be bullied into silence by netizens or forced to be a "hypocritical woke sheep".
"I post not to please you. I post because I think it’s important to have diverse viewpoints out there for people to decide for themselves. Why? Are your arguments so weak you want to shut down anyone who disagrees with you?"
Cheng added that her supporters come to her for her "hard truths" and she will continue posting them, regardless of whether she has clients.
"Blogged when nobody was paying me, will continue to post if nobody is paying me now either," she wrote.
You can read her full post below:
Authenticity > money. I’ve been posting unpopular views since 2003.
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Blogged when nobody was paying me, will continue to post if nobody is paying me now either. You want politically correct influencers who grovel and backtrack at every criticism and give fake apologies you can find them a dime a dozen. You may not like my views but I have a right to say them.
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You are not going to bully me into silence, or force me to be a hypocritical woke sheep like you, echoing the same tired sanctimonious virtue-signaling crap every other person on social media is repeating ad nauseam. It’s like all of you are infected by the same mind virus. Blah blah patriarchy blah blah intersectionality blah blah internalized systemic institutional structuralism blah blah cis-heteronormative inclusivity representation acknowledge your privilege blah blah blah. Dude. Have some original thought. And here’s something that will shock you: if your ideologies are all backed up by giant corporations, you are not that radical.
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I post not to please you. I post because I think it’s important to have diverse viewpoints out there for people to decide for themselves. Why? Are your arguments so weak you want to shut down anyone who disagrees with you?
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I have the strength to carry on no matter how hard you fuckers try to bring me down because my supporters expect me to always be real, and to say the hard truths on their behalf when they can’t. Facts are sometimes not nice, but someone has to say it. If it has to be me, so be it. You hateful people don’t matter. My supporters that have been here for years and years matter.
Top image via Instagram.