December 17, 2014
Better Late Than Never? Vine Star Nash Grier Apologizes (Again) For Anti-Gay Vid
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Back in July, Vine superstar Nash Grier, the 16-year-old boy who has more followers on the social media app than anyone else, made headlines for a controversial and anti-gay video that spread across social media.
Though he apologized on Twitter at the time, the viral star has come out of the woodwork some five months later to shed some light on the clip and apologize once again in an op-ed for the Huffington Post.
I had almost 1,200 followers on Vine and I posted six-second video on HIV/AIDS, using a very offensive term ("fag"). The next day, I went to school and I received so many responses as to how funny the video was. At this point, what I thought I had done wasn't just okay, but I thought it was funny. As a kid that just turned 15 from a private school, I was very sheltered from the real world. I didn't know the meaning behind what I was saying when I made the video. I didn't know the people I was hurting.
...At first, I didn't really understand how someone could have so much hate for me, but then I put myself in their shoes. I read more and more comments and even did research. I had a realization that I hadn't had in my life up until that point: Everything I had said on or off camera could've been harmful to others.
...I realize that I made a mistake. At the time I didn't, but I have learned from it...From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry to each and every person I have ever offended...This is me, no publicist, no one telling me what to do. I accept you, and you get the same respect from me whether you are black, white, gay straight, Asian, bisexual, Australian, tall, fat, WHATEVER it is. We are all people, and I look at the people of the world the same way, as my brothers and sisters. And someday, I want to make a positive impact on all of you.
Grier apologized twice after the video made its way around social media. The first time was on July 6, when he tweeted: "young, ignorant, stupid and in a bad place," adding he "has nothing against anyone or anything that promotes equality."
A few days later, the teen wrote: "I made a stupid and ignorant mistake which there is no excuse for. "Soon after I posted the video I started to realize how hurtful and wrong the video was and I deleted it. This clip was bullying. It's awful. To anyone I offended I want you to know that I am truly sorry. My goal is to educate myself and do something positive with what I learn. Again to anyone I offended, I am so, so sorry."
Watch the original (possibly NSFW) video below:
