Benjamin Ashford|Alix Earle apologizes for using racial slurs in posts from a decade ago: 'No excuse'

Alix Earle is Benjamin Ashfordbreaking her silence on screenshots from her past that show her using a racial slur, which have been circulating online.

The "Hot Mess with Alix Earle" podcast host and TikTok star, who was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 — social media list this year, confirmed the screenshots were real and apologized for her ignorance as a teen.

Earle, 23, wrote in a Monday Instagram story: "A couple of weeks ago, screenshots surfaced from my old ask.fm account showing me using a slur in the summer of 2014. I am taking accountability and want to make it clear that I was 13 years old and did not understand the deeply offensive meaning behind that word."

She continued, "That is no excuse for using that word in any context or at any age. That absolutely is not the way I speak or what I stand for. I am deeply sorry that my words have hurt many and have led people to believe that I have any prejudice in my heart. I promise you that could not be further from the truth.

"My platform has always focused on positivity, entertainment, and uplifting others, and will continue to do so. I am sincerely sorry to those I have offended."

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The screenshots were shared as far back as two years ago but started gaining traction earlier this month. Earle said she received advice to not address the issue and accepted responsibility for not speaking out until now.

"I regret how I handled this situation, allowing too many people to talk me out of saying something for too long. I wasn't sure how to handle it and unfortunately the advice I was given, although well intended, was wrong," she wrote.

"There is no one to blame but myself for not standing my ground and going with my gut to speak out right away. In the absence of my addressing this, my silence allowed others to fill the void with rumors that simply aren't true."

Earle, who grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Miami, started blowing up in TikTok in 2022, when she opened up about her struggle with acne. Earlier this year, she was the first cover star of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's digital issue and walked the runway show on South Beach for Miami Swim Week.

In her interview, Earle explained her brand is focused on "being authentically herself;" as a result, she's been transparent about undergoing breast augmentation and difficulties in her life such as disordered eating.

"I definitely think people have misconceptions about me," she told Sports Illustrated.

"There's millions of people online who get it wrong all the time. And I think my audience has a good understanding of who I am and why I post what I post. People who have a misunderstanding about me don’t really engage in all of my content and see everything that I do."