It’s time for James Charles to get off the internet

**Trigger Warning: Sexual Misconduct **

Early into the new year, 21-year-old makeup artist and beauty YouTuber James Charles was accused of sexual misconduct for inappropriate relations with a minor. What started with one boy led to three more allegations claiming that Charles was “grooming” underaged teens, flirting with them via TikTok comments, DMs, and the Snapchat app, coercing them into exchanging explicit photos.

Bryan Bedder/WireImage via The Cut

This is not the first time the influencer has been under fire for sexual misconduct. Recent events have led to a reevaluation of past allegations, specifically one pertaining to Charles’ date to 2019 Coachella. Model Gage Gomez accused Charles of pressuring him into sexual situations when Gomez had agreed to accompany Charles to Coachella as friends. Charles took to Twitter to clear the air regarding the situation, claiming that everything that ensued between the pair was consensual and Gomez was using Charles’ status and following for clout.

Now, with more recent and pressing allegations raised against him, some have gone back on their previous claims defending Charles in 2019. Just last week, famous YouTuber Tana Mongeau tweeted that she had a change of heart regarding allegations against Charles from said Coachella weekend, claiming that she later heard Gage’s side of the story and now admits she was wrong. 

James Charles via Instagram @jamescharles Coachella 2019 (posted April 12 2019)

On April 1, 2021, Charles released an apology video entitled “holding myself accountable,” in which he apologizes to “two different people, both under the age of 18,” who had shared their stories about their experiences with him. Charles claims his desperation played a part in the incidents and gave a lot to the fact that he didn’t understand the power held by an influencer or celebrity with a large following. In the video, he promises to keep himself in check and do better, but many feel these claims sound all too familiar to ones they’ve heard before.

Screenshot via YouTube "holding myself accountable" video April 1 2021

Many of Charles’ fellow YouTubers are not accepting his explanation. In a TikTok reacting to the apology video, YouTuber Trisha Paytas says that she doesn’t believe Charles will actually change. Paytas acknowledges how Charles was previously denying claims made against him and was trying to take down victims that had been coming forward. She reminds viewers how impossible it is for someone to change their views so quickly, after previously saying they were attacking him for their own personal gain. 

Screenshot Ethan Klein via Twitter

It is easy to recall a similar apology video made by Charles in 2019 entitled “No More Lies,” in which he reacts to speculation that he was harassing straight men. In the video, Charles took full responsibility for sending forward messages to straight followers and acknowledged that his behavior was “unacceptable.”

The 2019 allegations make the current ones Charles is facing all the more intolerable. It is clear from the multiple apology videos on his channel that Charles is full of empty promises, making these videos just to clear his name and get his supporters back. Seeing Charles’ name in reference to any sort of controversy has become so routine it is no longer shocking, just incredibly disappointing as it is clear that the YouTuber refuses to learn and improve himself.

With a whopping 27.3 million followers on Instagram, 25.5 million subscribers on YouTube, and 7.9 million followers on Twitter, Charles needs to understand the influence he has over his fans - many of which are extremely impressionable and look to him as a role model. His excuse of not understanding the weight of his impact is unacceptable, as his job is literally to influence others. 

At this point, accountability is not going to cut it. Charles has proven time and time again that he does not take the weight of his following seriously. He must understand the severity of his position within society and that all of his actions are public. Charles has completely undone himself and proven that he does not deserve the following he has. All we can do now is hope that his promises of improvement will carry some weight behind them this time around and do what we can as individuals to stand by the victims.

Resources for survivors:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800) 656-HOPE

National Sexual Violence Resource Center: https://www.nsvrc.org

UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services 24/7 Hotline: (310) 825-0768

Cassidy Sollazzo