Controversy quickly followed after a "personal photo" of Kate Gosselin allegedly mocking Asians popped up online, but the ex-TLC star is speaking out and trying to set the record straight.
"At that time, a common topic of our show was 'everybody's Asian'— except for mommy, so a thoughtful fan figured she'd help me look Asian too!" Gosselin explained on her blog, referencing the fact that the image in question was taken at a time during which their reality show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" was addressing the family's Asian heritage. "It's normal to talk about and even 'exaggerate' the feature differences between family members of a biracial family as they are noticed by curious growing children within the family. These types of discoveries and at home discussions are a normal part of being a loving accepting biracial family and it does not make any of us prejudice!"
She also noted that the photo was stored on her "home computer," released and uploaded without her consent and "opportunistically turned into something that it was never intended to be." She even referred to the image as a "happy memory" for her and her family that was taken when she and her husband were "goofing off" together one afternoon as they opened fan mail together in the garage of their home. As Gosselin recalls, "a caring fan" sent a plastic Asian dress-up wig which they took turns wearing as they snapped photos from their respective phones. "Naturally, I 'slanted' my eyes to show him my best Asian impression, which made him laugh."
The two have since gone their separate ways, and while he has not commented on the situation, she was sure to reject any suggestions of racial intent through her blog.
"I married an Asian," she wrote. "I have eight biracial children, therefore I'm quite certain that I'm the last person that could be called a racist."
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