Huda Kattan asks creators to share stories of losing work for speaking out against genocide

As the ongoing Israeli barbarity on Palestine continues to reverberate across various platforms, Huda Kattan, the influential figure behind Huda Beauty, has taken yet another bold step, urging influencers and content creators to expose companies that refuse to collaborate with them due to their support for Palestine.

In a compelling Instagram video, Huda passionately advocated for change, launching the hashtags #GhostedForGenocide #Ghosted4Genocide, encouraging individuals to share their experiences of being disregarded professionally for taking a pro-Palestine stance.

"This has got to stop!" said the beauty influencer and entrepreneur. "I can’t even tell you how many influencers I’ve spoken to who have lost deals or been ghosted for speaking out against the genocide in Palestine, and honestly, enough is enough." 

She added in the caption accompanying her video, "We need to hold these people and companies accountable. These companies have chosen to try and silence or intimidate people with their power, and are totally complicit as a result. The truth needs to come out. If you’ve lost deals and/or been ghosted for speaking out against genocide, share your stories and use the hashtags #GhostedForGenocide #Ghosted4Genocide."

Further expressing her dismay in the video, Kattan highlighted the plight faced by influencers who have lost deals or faced ostracism for speaking out against the Palestinian genocide. “It’s so hard to find the strength and courage to use your voice, it’s so intimidating, it’s so scary and then when we finally do we face intimidation, blacklists and ghosting,” she stated. She emphasised the necessity of holding these companies accountable for their actions, branding their behaviour as an attempt to silence and intimidate individuals, exerting power in the background while maintaining a neutral facade in public.

Amidst the fear and intimidation faced by those who raise their voices, Kattan labelled the consequences faced by content creators as disheartening, where livelihoods are at stake simply for supporting Palestine. “It’s really unfair because we’re using our voices, and we’re being punished but on the other hand, you face no consequences for deciding to take opportunities away from people,” she highlighted. 

The beauty mogul scrutinised companies that refuse to publicly take a stance but clandestinely blacklist or ostracize those who express their solidarity with Palestine, calling this a glaring discrepancy between their public and private actions. “We should talk about who is blacklisting you, who has chosen to take away business opportunities from you, who has chosen to ghost you just because you’ve spoken up against genocide,” she stressed. 

Branding these times as unprecedented, Kattan criticised those opting for silence while being complicit. She called for these companies to be held accountable for their covert actions. She addressed “people choosing to sit on the sidelines and be silent but in many ways be complicit in what’s going on." Kattan furthered, “As a business owner, I believe they should be held accountable.”

Asserting her belief in the power of shared narratives, Kattan suggested that by amplifying these stories, a transformative impact could be achieved and “we can actually create change.” Encouraging individuals to come forward with their stories under the provided hashtags, Kattan advocated for a unified front to provide support and solidarity.

This call to action by Kattan has not only shed light on the complexities faced by content creators but also initiated a discourse on corporate accountability amid sensitive geopolitical issues, fostering an environment for open dialogue and scrutiny.

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