‘Big Brother’ winner Xavier Prather speaks out against what he called ‘reprehensible’ treatment of season 24 contestant Taylor Hale

Xavier Prather and Taylor Hale. Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images; Sonja Flemming/CBS Some “Big Brother” viewers feel contestant Taylor Hale is experiencing racism and microaggressions in the house. Season 23 winner Xavier Prather tweeted a statement in support of Hale on Sunday.

  CBS did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.   Only two episodes of “Big Brother” season 24 have aired so far, but season 23 winner Xavier Prather is already tweeting about what he called the “reprehensible” way houseguests are treating contestant Taylor Hale. Prather, who made history as the first Black winner of the CBS reality competition series, tweeted a lengthy statement on Sunday slamming how Hale, a Black woman, is being treated in the house by her fellow contestants.

He also noted how Black “Big Brother” players (particularly Black female players) and other players of color “stand no chance” in the house “due to perpetuation of micro-aggressions and unconscious biases which plague our society. “”The treatment of Taylor in #BB24 is a prime example of why The Cookout was formed,” Prather wrote, referring to the historic all-Black alliance he and other Black houseguests formed in season 23. —Xavier Prather (@xaviereprather) July 10, 2022Hale, a 27-year-old personal stylist and former Miss Michigan USA, is not currently nominated for eviction, but she’s already been targeted and ostracized by her fellow houseguests.

Former “Big Brother” contestants (including several other players of color) say the behavior of the current contestants towards Hale is troubling and indicative of a larger problem in the game, which has a history of racism allegations. Some of Hale’s fellow contestants have said on the show that she would “blow up” if nominated for eviction and called her an “aggressive person. “One current houseguest, Paloma Aguilar, criticized Hale’s gameplay during a diary session on episode two.

“My initial impression of Taylor is she wants to try to, like, use her beauty to allure men, which is a strategy that is so like old,” she said. “Like, her demeanor comes across even more cocky when she’s not trying to make an effort with women. She’s just digging that hole for herself with the girls.

“Paloma Aguilar. Sonja Flemming/CBSLater in episode two, Aguilar said in a confessional that she wouldn’t go after Hale herself for fear that the stylist would “burn me like a witch. “On live feeds, fans have caught contestants criticizing the way Hale dresses and insulting her to the point that when she seemingly overheard their comments, she was brought to tears.

CBS did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. Other ‘Big Brother’ alums have called out the behavior and supported Hale Taylor Hale. CBSIn his Twitter statement, Prather acknowledged that while he was in the “Big Brother” house last season, he himself didn’t treat Black women fairly.

 “I’ve tried to learn from my conduct and educate myself so I can stand beside those who need my support, as I attempt to do for Taylor now,” he wrote, adding that he hopes it doesn’t take another all-Black alliance like the Cookout for Black and person of color houseguests “to finally escape the feeling of being ostracized” in the game “for simply existing. “”Change is a MUST!” Prather concluded. Other members of season 23’s Cookout alliance, like Azäh Awasum, also tweeted support for Hale.

“I made a cognizant effort to ‘dial back’ in the house for these exact reasons. Dark skinned women always have this in the back of our heads,” Awasum tweeted on Sunday. “CBS teaches about racial microaggressions but a section on colorism would be beneficial.

Taylor’s light will shine outside this house. “—Azäh Awasum 🇨🇲|🇺🇸 (@azah_awasum) July 10, 2022″i truthfully do not understand why everybody, their mom, their dad, their neighbor, their plant & their lint has taylor’s name in their mouth like it’s their full-time job it’s giving fan behavior & it’s unsettling,” Hannah Chaddha, who was also a member of the Cookkout in season 23, tweeted on Sunday. “Big Brother” all-star and fan-favorite Janelle Pierzina, who has competed on seasons six, seven, 14, and 22, tweeted footage from the live feeds of Hale crying after hearing Aguilar talking about her.

Pierzina sarcastically wrote, “Let’s make the beautiful quiet women who has literally done nothing but breathe, cry and make her feel like shit. “—Janelle Pierzina (@JanellePierzina) July 10, 2022 Read the original article on Insider.