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Bill Gates’ influencer daughter Phoebe has responded to the immense racist abuse that she faced over dating a black man – and slammed the “misconceptions and conspiracy theories” that spread about her family on social media.
Phoebe, 20, first confirmed that she was in a relationship with a fellow Stanford student, named Robert Ross, back in July – when she shared a few photos of herself cozying up to him on Instagram.
Almost immediately, tons of nasty trolls started to leave negative comments on the pictures, with some slamming her for being in a relationship with a person of colour and others accusing him of using her for her money.
Now, she has responded to the backlash during an interview with The Information, and she said she was “done” with people making fun of her relationship.
The 20-year-old, who has gained more than 64,000 followers on TikTok and 195,000 on Instagram, sat down with the outlet to discuss the highs and lows that come with getting so much attention online, and when she was asked about the worst part of being a social media sensation, the college student admitted: “The misconceptions and conspiracy theories about my family and my relationship with my boyfriend.
“It’s 2023. I’m done being memed for being in an interracial relationship.”
Phoebe’s TikTok feed contains things like “day in the life” type videos, as well as clips of her working out, showing off her favourite outfits and beauty products, reviewing different items, and trying out various makeup trends.
It also features videos of her discussing political topics like women’s rights and abortion, alongside her mother, Melinda Gates.
The social media star – who grew up in a $131 million mansion in Medina, Washington, with her parents and two siblings, Jennifer and Rory – said that she hopes being so open on social media will end any “misconceptions” people may have about her and her family.
“People have a lot of preconceptions about me, so TikTok has been a chance for me to tell my own story and also use the attention my family name might bring to spotlight issues that are important to me, like women’s health and sustainable fashion,” she told the outlet.
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