On Friday, the 26-year-old model revealed thatshe had lost more than 50,000 followers on Instagramafter posting a day prior that she would be boycotting the “Ignition (Remix)” singer.
“Every time I say something real, something I truly believe, something others may think of as controversial, something that makes people think and ask questions, I lose followers,” Delevingne lamented.
That doesn’t mean she regrets what she said. Quite the opposite, in fact.
“In 2019, I want to be more confrontational,” Delevingne said. “Confrontation IS NOT VIOLENCE btw, it’s communication. Something I still struggle with. I have always been taught to avoid confrontation at all costs, which caused me to be silent most of my life, silence causes suppression and suppression causes sickness. Not anymore!”
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Kelly, 52, has recently come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the Lifetime docuseries,Surviving R. Kelly, which features interviews withKelly’s family members, former friends and colleagues, and most notably women who claim that for decades the hit-making singer and producer used his power and influence to sexually andphysically abuse women and young girls.
That docuseries inspired Delevingne to speak out in the first place. “I finished theSurviving R. Kellydocumentary last night and I am so shocked and outraged at how long this has gone on,” she wrote on Instagram Thursday. “My heart goes out to all the victims of his emotional and physical abuse and their families.”
“This man is a predator that feeds of power and in my opinion is far worse than Harvey Weinstein and needs to be held accountable,” she said. “I am not trying to compare the two, my point is, Harvey is being investigated and R. Kelly is not.”
Delevingne went on to express regret about ignoring the reports about R. Kelly in the past. “We have ourselves to blame in this situation,” she said. “I knew of the allegations but failed to try and understand the severity of the situation. I still continued to listen to his music. Stop separating art from the artist, just because he sings like an angel, doesn’t mean he is one.”
She also applauded celebrities who have spoken out against R. Kelly, including John Legend, Change the Rapper, Jada Pinkett Smith,Lady Gaga, Keke Palmer, and Vince Staples. “I really hope that more musicians stand up against this monster,” she said — adding the hashtaggs, “#MuteRKelly,” “#MeToo,” and “#blackgirlslivesmatter.”
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In the aftermath of the docuseries,The New York Timeshas reported that the singer is nowunder investigation in the state of Georgia. While no charges have currently been brought in Kelly’s other residence of Chicago, Cook County state attorney Kim Foxx held apress conferenceon Tuesday to encourage any victims to “please come forward.”
Representatives for Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, previously responded “no comment” to PEOPLE’s request for a response to the allegations made inSurviving R. Kellyand interviews with alleged victims in this week’s issue of PEOPLE.
In 2008, a Cook County jury found Kellynot guiltyon 14 counts of child pornography charges.
If you or someone you know think they are being abused, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) now for anonymous, confidential help, available 24/7.
source: people.com
