Kenya Moore apologized for wearing a Native American headdress for Halloween on The Real Housewives of Atlanta after receiving backlash for the inconsiderate wardrobe choice.
Moore, 50, dressed as a “Warrior Princess” while attending a holiday bash at the home of Falynn Guobadia on the Sunday, March 21, episode of RHOA.
“I want to sincerely apologize for inappropriately wearing the Native American headdress as a costume,” Moore said in a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 23. “I now realize that this was both disrespectful and insensitive and would never have done it if I had that knowledge and understanding beforehand. I regret it. When you know better, you do better. I am genuinely sorry.”
Bravo also addressed the controversy, telling Us, “Bravo aims to have the highest standards of respect and inclusivity and we recognize that the recent episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, in which a cast member wears a Native American costume, did not uphold those values.”
A network spokesperson continued: “We had hoped it would provide a teachable moment, however in retrospect, it is clear that the network did not address this properly given the gravity of the situation. We apologize to both the Native American community and our audience as a whole.”
Moore’s apology came after she faced ridicule from some of her costars and fans during Sunday’s broadcast.
“Kenya’s Native American costume is super problematic but I ain’t trying to ruffle no feathers for this girls’ trip,” Drew Sidora said in a confessional during the episode. “It feels like I’m always the only one that sees the issues with Kenya Moore’s decisions.”
Porsha Williams commented on the costume, saying, “Kenya is a Native American warrior. I thought we weren’t doing that no more. Like, I knew that this girl was crazy, but add lame to the list, add whack to the list.”
After a Twitter user called Moore out for her actions the Michigan native initially defended herself.
“I know Kenya didn’t shade Porsha all season about her work with the BLM movement then showing up with an indigenous people costume. 2 strikes #RHOA,” the fan tweeted after the show aired.
Moore replied in a since-deleted tweet, “Also part of my heritage #RHOA.”
During the Real Housewives of Atlanta After Show, the Celebrity Apprentice alum also faced backlash for the costume with Williams, 39, calling it “head-to-toe cultural appropriation.”
LaToya Ali noted that she “couldn’t take Kenya seriously” when they had their heated conversation at the Halloween bash because she was “in an Indian-chief costume … Isn’t that called cultural appropriation?”
Kandi Burruss, however, defended her costar, telling Ali, 34, “I don’t think she was wearing the costume to mock anyone. I think she thought it was a beautiful costume because it’s the sign of a leader — a chief is someone to look up to, not to be made fun of.”
The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays on Bravo at 8 p.m. ET.
