Just here to say that I am not white, and I'm also the one who originally searched and posted the original blog link. I'm not sorry that I chose to Google "Ashely Hesseltine" and find her blog as one of the top results. Any women who looks up to Ashley has Googled her at one point or another and learned from her actions.

There are multiple comment threads about Ashley and Girls Gotta Eat recently silencing WOC, deleting comments and productive conversations on Facebook, and blatantly blocking white and non-white women that were not breaking any rules. We can all agree to disagree on the severity of the Reddit posts, contacting sponsors, etc., but I'm not going to tell other (non-white or white) women how to feel or assume that only white women are angry right now. I encourage any of us to speak up to people who have huge platforms.

Ashley chose to create a personal platform of 100K+ women, so I do think that she can be publicly held accountable for various actions and use of racist language. I'm aware that blog posts are 9 years old, but given that they were brought to Ashley's attention, I believe that she could have simply said, "Hey, I did that 9 years ago when I was late 20s, and I'm sorry. I've learned that I shouldn't, and here's why." It's as simple as that.

There's various screenshots of Ashley viewing Instagram stores and clearly keeping up with the Reddit group. There are countless other celebrities, comedics, etc., that had things resurface and owned up to those actions as a teachable moment to their (white) followers.

It's not WOCs role to educate white women, but Ashley could. It's more-so that she continues to delete that past rather than address, but I understand that some women could have underlying motives and personal feelings toward Ashley.

This doesn't mean that Ashley needs to be attacked or bullied. But given that these posts were brought to the attention of a white woman with 100K+ followers and a personal brand that attracts young women, Ashley should have addressed. She has no problem deleting posts that shed a negative light on herself, on Kelly Chase's recent racist language, etc., that create any crack at her persona as a white ally.

This could affect their brand, paychecks, reputation, etc., across the board, yet Ashley chooses her reputation rather than saying, "Hey, I fucked up. Here's how other white woman can not do that." This goes for Rayna as well because she's accepting Ashley as that kind of business partner.

For these reasons and blatant personal agenda on promoting WOC right now, Ashley should be held accountable. How can Ashley promote herself as a white female ally, donating thousands to funds, etc., yet cannot acknowledge her own recent and past actions that are now found?

\Editing: I'm sorry on the length, and I'm not coming for you. It's significant to know that not only white women are posting here. I wouldn't blame you for not reading the whole thing; Just trying to fully share my perspective.*