A trans-identified male who was once removed from a UK children’s charity over safeguarding concerns has prompted outrage after being named named the UN Women’s UK Champion. Monroe Bergdorf was also once fired from L’Oreal Paris for making racist comments.
On November 14, Bergdorf took to Instagram to announce his new role, praising UN Women for providing a women’s title to a transgender recipient.
“It’s so rare that we get to see transgender people have a seat or voice at these tables, so it’s a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. I will use this role to further advocate for the progress, safety, inclusion and empowerment of ALL women and girls, of all communities and identities,” he wrote.
But Bergdorf’s claim about his safety and inclusion of “all communities and identities” is markedly at odds with the racist comments that saw him fired from modeling for L’Oreal Paris six years ago. The comments, posted to Facebook but since deleted, included labelling “all white people” as racist.
“Your entire existence is drenched in racism… Once white people begin to admit that their race is the most violent and oppressive force of nature on Earth, then we can talk,” wrote Bergdorf.
Despite the incident, Bergdorf managed to snag an LGBTQ+ advisory role with the UK Labour party just one year later. He then stepped down from that capacity when it was learned he had compared the suffragettes to “white supremacists.”
But among the more egregious controversies Bergdorf has been involved in was an incident with the UK National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NPSCC). Bergdorf had been hired as a campaigner with the charity, but was quickly axed after outcry from women and children’s rights advocates led the charity’s board of trustees to remove him.
The outcry was sparked after it was revealed that Bergdorf had invited children to message him privately on social media in stark violation of safeguarding ethics. Critics also accused the trans-identified male’s sexualized public image of being inappropriately suited for the children’s charity role.
This latest appointment to the UN Women UK role has drawn significant criticism online, not just over the man’s racism and predatory message to children, but because many have pointed out that an actual female should have been honored with the title.
“Men are better than women episode 847,” sarcastically posted X (formerly Twitter) user @Fredmeyr36114.
Another X user, @butterflygone02, pointed out that Bergdorf has made numerous misogynistic comments towards women and lesbians.
