There are several reasons why the Rachel Hollis debate has persisted. When an influencer claims that being relatable was never her intention, she is being dishonest about the very thing that makes her company successful.
Her success as a self-help writer is compared favourably to that of historical figures like Harriet Tubman. Calling a person who “cleans the toilets” belittles their work in a casual way.
There’s Hollis’s belief that the reason other people are not as successful as she is as a lifestyle and self-help influencer is that they are not working as hard as she is.
Several viewers of the video took offence at what they perceived to be an attempt by Hollis to elevate her own status by drawing comparisons to other prominent women of colour and the suggestion that she can simply outwork anyone who is not as financially successful as she is.
What Is Rachel Hollis’s Deal?
You may have first heard of Rachel Hollis in 2018 when her self-help book, Girl, Wash Your Face, became an overnight sensation. Hollis is a popular blogger, mom of four, and author.
While Hollis’s tough-love approach to writing the book made it a bestseller, she soon found herself the target of criticism for spreading “toxic positivity.” Hollis may have intended to motivate readers to stop making excuses for themselves and start living their best lives.
Also: Kate Stewart Controversy: Claims of Racism and Her Subsequent Apologies!
A Squabble Over Rachel Hollis
Social media star and best-selling self-help author Rachel Hollis issued an apology earlier this week for making comments that seemed to equate her with Harriet Tubman.
I know I’ve caused immense sorrow by referencing prominent women, including some women of colour whose challenges and successes I couldn’t possibly understand,” the author of Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing wrote on Instagram.
In a now-deleted TikTok video from late March, Hollis responded to claims that she sounded “unrelatable” when talking about “this sweet woman” in her employ who “cleans the toilets” by comparing her to Harriet Tubman.
Just What Is Going on Right Now to Make Everyone so Unhappy?
Hollis seems trapped in a never-ending cycle of tension. Even though the author admits to being “very freaking fortunate,” she maintains that she worked her a** off to achieve her current standard of living.
Even though her fans were quick to point out the problems with this and educate Hollis on the subject, her initial apologies came across as dishonest and again placed the blame on her team. Users on social media were quick to point out that Hollis didn’t appear to understand the problem of her privilege.
Also: Ksi Controversy: Inside the Rise of You Tuber Ksi’s Sexism and Beef Scandal.
After the Video Was Released, Rachel Lost 100,000 Fans.
In her initial statement of regret, Hollis laid the blame on her staff. “I went with the group’s advice instead of going with my own instincts.” Her second explanation mirrored the carefully PR-vetted “written apologies,” and was marginally less narcissistic than what some commenters on social media had indicated. Nonetheless, that failed to quell the opposition.
Anti-racism educator Louiza Doran called Hollis’s dismissal of her housekeeper’s work as “cleans the toilet” “the most disgusting capitalistic, privileged flex that was so quick, but it said so much about how she as a human being views the power dynamic and the social hierarchy,” Doran said on Instagram Live.
Few people disagreed with this assessment, as evidenced by the fact that the unapproachable girl boss promptly lost 100,000 of her followers.
