Latest news with #MsRachel
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Why is a pro-Israel group asking the US to investigate Ms Rachel?
If you believe that babies can tell when a person is truly good, then it should be no surprise that Ms Rachel – the beloved kids YouTube sensation – has remained on the right side of every socio-political debate since the image of her pink tee and denim dungarees became ubiquitous in households with children across the world. But when Ms Rachel, whose given name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, began speaking out about the genocide in Gaza, pro-Israel rightwingers put a massive target on her back. Accurso first made her stance public around May 2024, when she announced a fundraiser for children in Gaza and other war zones. Since then, she's consistently drawn attention to the tragedy in Palestine by sharing statistics on the crisis along with images of Palestinian children to her social media audience of tens of millions of followers, and the right has been after her since. Back in March, the New York Post ran an article about Accurso calling her a 'Woke brainwasher' and warning parents against the influence they were allowing into their homes. Then, last month, the pro-Israel group StopAntisemitism asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Ms Rachel was operating as a foreign agent because of her posts about Gazan children. In an open letter to the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, they asked authorities to find out whether Accurso was 'being remunerated to disseminate Hamas-aligned propaganda to her millions of followers'. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of children have been killed or injured in Gaza since Israel began its onslaught in retaliation for Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack – and Israel isn't letting up, even as children face starvation. Last Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed nine of a Gaza doctor's 10 children while she worked. If speaking up about a genocide makes you a foreign agent, what does that say about America's own values? 'I care deeply for all children. Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US – Muslim, Jewish, Christian children – all children, in every country,' Accurso said through tears on Instagram video from May of 2024. 'To do a fundraiser for children who are currently starving, who have no food or water, who are being killed, is human.' For this kind of thing – caring about innocent children – to be controversial is a clear sign of just how far we've strayed from our moral core as a society, and a reminder of the inhumanity that pervades this political moment. One of the distinct markers of pro-Israel rhetoric in recent times has been the way it intentionally and violently rejects the idea of children being vulnerable and innocent. Israel's supporters feel emboldened to cast babies as collateral damage at best, and 'enemies' at their most truly unhinged. And the pro-Israel crowd is angry at Accurso because in a war that does not want us to see them as such, she constantly reminds us that Palestinian children are people, and are deserving of the same kind of care and protection that the west gives its young. Her love for children has also made her an easy target for conservatives who like to label LGBTQ+ people and their allies as creeps and pedophiles looking to groom children. Last year, when Accurso shared a video celebrating Pride month on her Instagram and TikTok accounts (which are geared toward her adult supporters, of course), rightwing influencers called her 'sick' and complained that she was exposing children to 'things they shouldn't be exposed to'. For me, Accurso's speaking out also shines a harsh light on the absolute dearth of outrage from other far more powerful and influential celebrities. This month, more than 300 celebrities and Hollywood figures signed an open letter condemning the industry's silence on the genocide. This belated effort falls flat when you consider how people with much less power and way more to lose have risked their livelihoods and safety to speak up for what is right. Overall, though, the hatred for Accurso isn't just about Gaza. As a public figure, she is an indictment of everything that rightwingers want us to believe is bad. She's all about big feelings, standing up for vulnerable people, making people from all walks of life feel included, and celebrating what makes us different. Of course the right hates that. Figures like Accurso are an aberration in a world where bad news generates the most clicks and we are all supposed to be desensitized to the ways vulnerable people continue to have their lives, and the few protections they have left, snatched away from them. Tayo Bero is a Guardian US columnist
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Ms. Rachel posted about children in Gaza. The reaction that followed was intense
Ms. Rachel is one of the biggest names in children's entertainment right now, with 15 million subscribers on her YouTube channel alone. In her feed, you'll usually find posts about potty training tips and collaborations with organic yogurt companies. More recently, however, she's also begun using her influence on social media to talk about how the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has affected children in the region. This move has created quite a controversy, to the point where some have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Ms. Rachel is being paid by Hamas. Today on Commotion, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud chats with author Jael Richardson and Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk about the reaction and criticism Ms. Rachel is getting for speaking up amidst the ongoing conflict.
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Children's YouTube star Ms Rachel meets girl from Gaza
NewsFeed Children's YouTube star Ms Rachel meets girl from Gaza Children's YouTube star Ms Rachel met a three-year-old girl from Gaza who lost her legs in an Israeli attack on her home during the war, to record a video to raise awareness of the suffering of Palestinian children.
Glasgow Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
M&D's adds extra dates for Youtuber Ms. Rachel-inspired show
M&D's Scotland's Theme Park, in partnership with Wicked Entertainment, announced a Ms Rachel-inspired morning featuring two shows, which sold out within hours In response to the overwhelming demand, the theme park has now added two additional shows. READ MORE: Star of legendary Scots rock band pictured at Glasgow restaurant Ms Rachel, who has 14.9 million YouTube subscribers, is a former teacher turned online sensation known for her educational videos for babies and toddlers, focused on language development and early learning. Since launching her channel in 2019, she has become a household name — especially among parents looking for engaging, screen-based learning tools for young children. Jensen Taylor Connelly, director of M&D's Scotland's Theme Park, said: "Ms Rachel became popular during the pandemic and her popularity has just rocketed as people look to entertain their babies. "However, we were taken aback by how quickly our initial two performances sold out. READ MORE: Major roads in Glasgow to close for 17 hours for Tour of Britain cycling final "We're really looking forward to welcoming all the babies on the day, it will be great fun." The shows will take place at 2.30pm and 4.15pm on Saturday, July 19. Tickets, costing £13.95 plus a booking fee, include entry to Krazy Congo soft play as well as the Ms Rachel performance. They are available to be purchased at the Scotland's Theme Park website.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Ms Rachel shares heartwarming moment with 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza
Ms Rachel shared a sweet moment with a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza whom she invited onto her show. The YouTube star and children's educator, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, sang one of her trademark songs with Rahaf, who was evacuated from Gaza by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund. She said Rahaf's mother told her that they no longer eat while video chatting with her sons, who are still in Palestine. Accurso has been vocal about her support for children in Gaza as Israel intensifies its attacks. In a tearful video posted on her Instagram, Accurso shared an image of an emaciated Palestinian baby while rocking her own newborn Susannah on her arms.
