In October, CoverGirl announced their very first Cover Boy.
James Charles, widely popular make up artist and beauty blogger, was named the face of the global make up empire, a move heralded as ground breaking for the industry.
At the time, CoverGirl wrote that all of their role models are “boundary-breakers” who “fearlessly express themselves and stand up for what they believe in”.
Unfortunately, the company probably did not foresee “standing up for what you believe in” extended to widely stereotypical views sprinkled with racism.
The 17-year-old face of the brand tweeted on Thursday about fearing going to Africa because of fears he will contract Ebola.
“I can’t believe we’re going to Africa today,” he wrote. “OMG what if we get Ebola.”
Fans were quick to criticise Charles for his offensive and outdated views, particularly considering in January, 2016 — also known as more than a year ago — the World Health Organization said Africa as a whole is now clear of Ebola.
Initially, Charles deleted the tweet and proceeded to block those who disagreed with him, writing “block and move on, James. Block and move on”.