Dutch Magazine Un-pologizes For Rihanna Slur

Eva Hoeke, editor of the Dutch magazine Jackie, issued an apology for calling Rihanna “the ultimate niggabitch” and then resigned her post. Now the magazine’s publisher has issued another statement, claiming the magazine has nothing to apologize for.

According to Dutch site Villamedia, publisher Yves Gijrath says Hoeke’s mistake was not publishing a racist article, but failing to stand behind it strongly enough. He says (according to the translation of a helpful tipster, which we’ve checked as best we could against Google Translate’s version),

[T]here is nothing wrong in the magazine. [Hoeke] presented it as a joke, but it most certainly was not a joke. It was an interpretation [of a fashion style]. […] She should have said: “we did not realize this interpretation is such a touchy subject. We never meant any harm and offer our sincere and upright apologies.” But because of all the fuss, Eva started to wiggle in all directions, and therefore we have come to the conclusion her credibility has been undermined.

Gijrath also emphasized that though the magazine had invited Rihanna to respond, it would not be printing a retraction — “we will not be silenced.” He added, “People are totally off limits when calling both the magazine Jackie and Eva Hoeke racist. Jackie is even produced by an editorial staff that is of mixed origins.” So basically, he’s criticizing Hoeke for failing to double down on her magazine’s totally innocent fashion “interpretation,” which just happened to include racial slurs. Jackie is currently seeking a new editor — hopefully they’ll find someone who will truly support their commitment to unapologetic racism.