(Newser)
– If the fans of the fitness instructor Stacey Griffith can calm down these days, it is the fact that she is the rare star who knows how to offer unqualified apologies. “I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent action to receive the vaccine,” the SoulCycle instructor wrote on Instagram. “I made a terrible mistake in court and I’m really sorry about that.” As for the apology, Griffith went into the hot water because of the COVID vaccination – especially as he lined up to get it. Covering:
- Shot: On Friday, the 52-year-old bragged in a deleted Instagram post that she received the first dose of “Modern Magic” in Staten Island, reports Washington Post. She also thanked several people for helping her navigate the documents involved. The reaction was quick and furious, and critics wondered how and why a SoulCycle instructor jumped in front of health workers, seniors, teachers, etc., who are still waiting for their shots, on people. Fitness instructors should not be among those currently receiving photos in New York.
- Her defense: Griffith initially defended herself, telling the Beast daily that she was “educating” in her own way. “It’s my daily priority to keep my community and respiratory system running at full capacity so I can beat this virus if I’m infected with it,” she said. “I can only teach them if I’m healthy.”
- The company responds: This justification did nothing to reassure critics, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I don’t think anyone who shows up and says, ‘Hey, I’m a SoulCycle instructor,’ should have qualified if there wasn’t another factor in there,” he says. “That should have been caught in the application process. ” SoulCycle itself responded to the controversy by stating that its instructors are not “educators” and should not do what Griffith did, Vox reports. It also hurt to point out that Griffith acted on her own.
- Larger image: Alex Abad-Santos’ Vox post sees the controversy as part of a bigger problem. “Even if there are rules about who is able to receive the vaccine, being rich and well connected can help someone get over the line.” Not helping is that SoulCycle is generally seen as a luxury product for rich people. The fact that Griffith can receive the vaccine symbolizes how easy it can be for rich people to get what they want, before everyone else, especially those who qualify according to NYC guidelines and have not yet been able to schedule a meeting. .
(Read more SoulCycle stories.)