James Charles

James Charles posted a video attacking a former Spirit Airlines employee who had sent him a GoFundMe link after losing her job. He called her, among other things, a 'lazy piece of s---' and characterised her request as entitlement. The video prompted widespread criticism for its tone towards someone newly unemployed.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In 2021, several boys and young men accused James Charles of sending or requesting sexual messages and content; some said they were minors. Charles published 'Holding Myself Accountable', acknowledging flirtatious or sexual conversations with two 16-year-old boys whom he said he believed were 18, and admitting that he had been insufficiently careful about checking ages. YouTube temporarily removed him from its Partner Programme, and Morphe ended their commercial relationship.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Kelly Rocklein, a former producer and assistant to James Charles, brought proceedings against Charles and Sister Sister LLC involving allegations including wrongful dismissal, disability discrimination or failure to make accommodations, and unpaid wages and overtime. The case involved procedural issues concerning arbitration and appeal.

Attribution

Accused

Tati Westbrook published 'Bye Sister' after Charles promoted SugarBearHair, a competitor to her Halo Beauty brand. She made much broader allegations about his behaviour, particularly towards heterosexual men. Charles lost millions of subscribers before responding in 'No More Lies' with messages and evidence disputing several accounts. Both creators subsequently called for an end to the escalation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Ethan Klein, co-founder of Teddy Fresh, accused James Charles and Sisters Apparel of closely copying the colour-block design of a Teddy Fresh hoodie and published comparisons. Charles disputed the allegation, stating that he had never seen the garment concerned and that colour blocks were not an exclusive creation.

Attribution

Directly implicated

In a discussion of his sexual orientation, James Charles explained that he did not consider himself 'completely gay' and mentioned, among other experiences, having been attracted to transgender men. The wording was criticised as suggesting that transgender men were not fully men.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

After his first Met Gala invitation, Charles wrote that it represented a 'huge step forward' for influencer representation and their recognition in mainstream media. The use of the language of 'representation' was mocked or criticised as disproportionate, with some considering it an appropriation of language associated with struggles by marginalised groups.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

After Wet n Wild introduced a palette whose format and colour range resembled his Morphe collaboration, James Charles publicly accused the brand of copying his product and stated that legal means existed to protect his work.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Directly implicated

In a video with Shane Dawson and Ryland Adams, James Charles named Ariana Grande as the 'rudest' celebrity he had met, explaining that she had followed and then unfollowed him after criticism from her fans relating to his Ebola controversy. The comment sparked a wave of reactions from the singer's fans.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During a Shawn Mendes Instagram livestream in which the singer demonstrated his juggling skills, James Charles commented 'can you juggle me like that?'. Following articles claiming that Mendes had ended the livestream and was avoiding Charles because of repeated comments, Charles publicly apologised for any discomfort or impression of harassment.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

When Makeup Geek founder Marlena Stell announced that she was working with Netflix on a documentary about the beauty industry's inner workings, James Charles publicly criticised her involvement, claiming that he should have been approached and questioning her legitimacy to tell the story of the influencer sector.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

James Charles, then CoverGirl's first male ambassador, posted a joke before travelling to South Africa saying he feared catching Ebola in 'Africa'. The message was widely regarded as ignorant and offensive, particularly because it generalised about the continent and wrongly associated South Africa with an outbreak.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated