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MAC Model Aamito Lagum Joins #PrettyLipsPeriod To Combat Racist Instagram Comments

She has #PrettyLipsPeriod.

Last week, MAC Cosmetics' Instagram page was flooded with racist comments after the cosmetics brand posted a photo of a model's lips.

The image, which showcased the beauty look from Ohne Titel's show at New York Fashion Week, was of 19-year-old model Aamito Lagum, who took to her own Instagram in a (now-deleted) post to address the haters.

"As I read the comments below this picture Felt so insecure and a bit embarrassed as I just wrapped up fashion week a time period that is tough on models especially black models as we encounter the harsh reality of the fashion world," she wrote.

Royal romance at @ohnetitelny #AW16. #MACBackstage #NYFW

A photo posted by M∙A∙C Cosmetics (@maccosmetics) on

Now, Lagum is taking a further stand against the responses by joining the #PrettyLipsPeriod movement to fight back against racist beauty standards.

The hashtag, which was started by Pretty.Period, aims to "give lip love to our sistas" by encouraging Black women to upload photos of themselves and their fave lip shade to Twitter and Instagram using #PrettyLipsPeriod.

CALL FOR LIPS!! #PrettyPeriod x #LipGame = #PrettyLipsPeriod This week, MAC cosmetics posted a photograph of a Black woman's lips to it's IG page. Taken backstage during #NYFW, the photo was meant to showcase MAC's "Royal Romance" lipstick. Instead, the photo was bombarded with a barrage of racist comments. MAC hasn't addressed the issue, but we will. No need to address the racist trolls. We know why they're mad. No matter how hard they try, Black is MOST beautiful when it's on Black bodies. Deal with it. What we WILL do is show our sister some LOVE! The “Black woman” that new sources fail to identify is Aamito Lagum (@aamito_lagum). And she is STUNNING! Hers are #PrettyLipsPeriod. Turn the photo horizontally, and her lips literally form the shape of a heart! PERFECT! Originally, 19-year old model Maryse Kye thought the picture was of her lips. She posted about the incident on her own IG page (@marysekye) saying that although she "felt so insecure and a bit embarrassed" as she read the comments, she smiled as she saw the love and support of strangers. Although it turns out that they are not in fact her lips, we're still showing her love! That she though they were hers and was negatively impacted by the commentary is all the more reason for us to love her up too! Let's show our love and support not only for Aamito and Maryse, but for ALL OF US! EVERYBODY IS GETTING KISSES! 💋💋💋💋💋 CALLING ALL LIPS!! 1. Take a selfie of yourself wearing a stunning shade of lipstick. (The photo should be of your lips only) 2. Post it to Instagram and/or Twitter using the hashtag #PrettyLipsPeriod 3. Please tag @prettyperiod365 @officiallipgame @maccosmetics Lip Love for our sistas! Let's Go!

A photo posted by #PrettyPeriod (@prettyperiod365) on

According to HuffPost U.K., Pretty.Period was founded by Dr. Yaba Blay, professor of Africana Studies at Drexel University, in response to the "compliment", "You're pretty for a dark-skinned girl."

Now, the website serves as a "visual tribute to brown skin. A visional testimony of Black beauty. A vision board for healing," according to Pretty.Period's Facebook page.

Aamito posted an illustrated version of MAC'S image on her Instagram, using the hashtag to show her support for the movement:

Since the backlash, MAC has taken to its Instagram account to post a response:

Amen.

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