On August 29th, an episode of “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” featured an explosive argument between co-stars reality TV star Erica Mena (Domincan-Puerto Rican) and singer and actor Spice (Jamaican). The altercation escalated to the point where Mena used the racial slur on Spice by calling her a “monkey” repeatedly. The argument reached a tipping point when Mena resorted to even creating monkey sounds. This occurrence has ignited broader conversations about the appropriateness—or lack thereof—of using racial slurs, especially in emotionally charged situations.


Following the airing of the controversial episode, producers announced Erica Mena’s exclusion from the upcoming season, underscoring the swift repercussions for using racially insensitive language. Mena later issued an apology, notably as she continued to face additional fallout.

Historical Overview

The term “monkey” has a long history of being used to demean people of African and Indigenous descent. Originating in the days of slavery and colonialism, it served as a way to dehumanize black and brown individuals and justify their exploitation of lands, resources and bodies. This historical context enriches our understanding of why the term is so damaging today.

The dehumanization of Black individuals through animalistic portrayals has origins in the history of slavery. In the 1993 documentary “Story of a People,” Robert Guillaume delves into this troubling phenomenon, explaining:

To justify slavery, black people had to be dehumanized. A moral and legal framework to support slavery was constructed at the same time. The distortion of the black image begins here. If it is believed that a man is inferior, subhuman, it becomes easy to treat him as a pet, a toy, an object of comic relief, a crazed lower animal who must be controlled and ruled.

Racial Slurs in Sports

Monkey chants, involving sounds and gestures mimicking apes, are a well-known form of racial abuse frequently targeted at Black athletes, particularly in sports like football and cricket. These chants, often emerging from crowds in predominantly white countries, aim to demean and marginalize athletes of African descent. Such behaviors sometimes extend to hurling items associated with monkeys, such as bananas or peanuts, onto the field.

This form of harassment is a stark reminder of the persistence of racism in sports, and it’s far from isolated. Notable instances include the taunting of Vinicius Junior with monkey chants during a turbulent Real Madrid match against Valencia in May 2023. Similarly, Romelu Lukaku experienced racial abuse in only his second appearance for Inter Milan in 2020. England’s win against Hungary in Budapest in 2021 was also marred by racist chants aimed at Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham. These episodes serve as glaring indicators of the ongoing issue of racial prejudice in sports.

The issue of racial slurs and imagery extends far beyond the world of sports, as evidenced by incidents involving public figures like Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. A British broadcaster, Danny Baker ignited a firestorm of controversy when he posted a tweet featuring a photograph that likened Markle’s mixed-race baby to a chimpanzee.

Although the royal family is predominantly white, Meghan Markle is of African-American heritage, making Baker’s tweet not just distasteful but racially loaded. Despite the tweet’s swift deletion and Baker’s subsequent firing (but was later rehired a year later by the BBC) the incident stirred a much-needed discussion about systemic racism. The post faced widespread condemnation, yet it also attracted a troubling level of support, revealing the deeply entrenched racist attitudes that persist in contemporary society. This action sparked significant concern as it perpetuated the harmful historical trope of equating people of African descent with monkeys—a stereotype long used to dehumanize Black individuals.

Racist slurs have continued targeting high-profile individuals, including former U.S. President Obama and his family. Michelle Obama was once described as “an ape in heels” in a Facebook comment, revealing the extent to which racial slurs continue to infiltrate even the highest echelons of society.

The Societal Impact

The use of racial slurs goes beyond individual incidents. This creates a ripple effect felt globally, impacting the mental health of communities and individuals. This behavior also sustains systemic racism, perpetuating stereotypes that justify discrimination in various spheres of life, including employment, education, and criminal justice.

Post the era of the Black Lives Matter movement and the renewed focus on racial equality, racial slurs remain a potent tool for demeaning and denigrating people of African and Indigenous descent.

The use of racial slurs is not an isolated issue but part of a larger systemic problem. As we move toward a society that aims to be more inclusive and just, educating ourselves and others about the damaging effects of these slurs is crucial. We must actively confront discriminatory language wherever it appears, as it has no place in our dialogue.

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