Tyra Banks Faces More Backlash as 'ANTM' Clip Resurfaces

Tyra Banks is in trouble with social media users again. In recent years, her groundbreaking reality competition series, America's Next Top Model, has come under intense scrutiny for accusations of colorism, body shaming, racism, and overall degrading criticism of the contestants amid the rigorous challenges. A successful alum who did not win the show but went on to become an in-demand actress is Yaya DaCosta. She appeared on Cycle 3 of the show and stood out for her beautiful natural features, and minimalist style. She exuded confidence, and was proud of her Blackness. But the judges often found her demeanor offputting, and one clip from the season has social media in an uproar.

In one styling contest, DeCosta wore her hair natural and dressed in an Ankara-print top. Banks tells her that she looks "intense." While  judge Nolé Martin says her outfit, equipped with a cowboy hat, is all over the place. "It looks like you're about to ride a giraffe," he tells her. But it was the criticism from judge Rebecca Weinberg that has caused the most stir. "You have this intensity to prove your blackness, and I think sometimes it's overbearing," she tells DeCosta. Later, DaCosta was forced to apologize to the judges after being called "defensive," for criticizing the kufi cap they wanted her to wear, which she called inauthentic.

DeCosta addressed the clip in 2020 when the show was being streamed amid the COVID-19 quarantine at high numbers. In the post, she wrote that it took her years to heal from the experience, as noted by ESSENCE. And now, more social media users are coming to her defense.