Kayla Nicole, a model and former girlfriend of NFL star Travis Kelce, has sent an open letter to black women amid her ex’s highly publicized romance with Taylor Swift.
In an Instagram video on Monday, the 31-year-old addressed the negative attention she received on social media and renewed dialogue about her five-year relationship with Kelce. Nicole dated the Kansas City Chiefs tight end from 2017 to 2022.
“Dear black girl,” she began. “They may call you a traitor because you fell in love. You will hope that those closest to you will protect you. But you will quickly notice that people don’t protect what they don’t value.”
The influencer continued: “They will say that you are too much… and in the same breath they will tell you that you are not enough, not successful enough, not healthy enough, maybe not even smart enough.” They will say that You deserve the backlash and the embarrassment. Because of your blackness, you should have known better. They will even try to tie your value to your net worth. But black girl, please remember that your value lies elsewhere.”
The fanfare surrounding Kelce’s alleged relationship with Swift has led to a number of articles about Nicole, as well as backlash from both soccer fans and Swift’s own fan base. Nicole made even more headlines after she apparently unfollowed Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany Mahomes on Instagram. Many people online assumed that Nicole and the Mahomes were now at odds, especially after media outlets reported that Brittany and Swift had struck up a friendship in recent weeks.
Conversations surrounding Kelce and Nicole’s relationship as a public interracial couple have always been particularly tense. Following the news of Kelce and Swift’s apparent affair, some Twitter users criticized the athlete, whose public persona is partly based on references to black culture, for “abandoning” Nicole and choosing a white woman (although he and Nicole separated in May 2022). . Others, including some Swifties, have disparaged Nicole in comparison to Swift, calling the pop star an “upgrade” on Kelce.
From the beginning of her public relationship with Kelce, Nicole was scrutinized for dating outside her race, which she presumably alludes to in her open letter with the “traitor” remark. Likewise, her video was met with ridicule and accusations of jealousy from many social media users. Meanwhile, others have praised Nicole for seemingly addressing the hate head-on.
Regardless, the model doesn’t seem interested in engaging in the drama any further, telling her followers, “Keep your heart even when they try to quantify your character and test your boundaries.” […] You don’t have to answer because there is power in your silence.”