WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas makeup artist says she won a national contest sponsored by Kat Von D Beauty but was later disqualified because of an Instagram post supporting Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy.
Screenshots taken by Gypsy Freeman show she was declared the winner last month of an Instagram “Saint + Sinner Contest” sponsored by the makeup line, which was founded by tattoo artist and former reality show star Kat Von D.
Freeman’s entry was an Instagram image of an angelic figure beside a girl in an all-black outfit and thick mascara, the Wichita Eagle reported. The winner and a guest were to be flown to Los Angeles to attend the launch party for a new Von D makeup line, with a $500 gift card to Sephora thrown in.
But curious Instagram users found Freeman’s pro-Trump post from November.
Von D, who starred in the tattoo-themed TLC reality show “LA Ink,” later messaged Freeman on Instagram to say she had “drawn a personal line in the sand between myself and anyone who supports that man,” according to screenshots of the conversation.
“My launch party (and my brand) celebrates many things that Trump is against,” Von D added, according to the screenshots. “And I just need you to know that I personally have a hard time with inviting anyone who would support such an anti-feminist, anti-homosexual/LGBT, anti-immigrant, and anti-climate change fascist such as Trump.”
Kat Von D Beauty’s parent company, Kendo Holdings, didn’t reply to the newspaper’s messages seeking comment.
Freeman, who splits her time between Wichita and Florida, said she thinks it’s unfortunate that politics was brought into the contest.
“Part of the great thing about this country is having freedom of speech,” she said.
“It’s definitely bigotry — it’s everything that they’re calling us, they’re doing,” Freeman added. “It’s a huge case of hypocrisy.”
Jenn Bischof, the Florida photographer who took the photos for Freeman’s entry, was invited — and attended — the launch party.
