Elma Pazar has responded to backlash after asking her followers for financial support amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Love Island star took to Twitter to release a statement regarding a recent tweet, in which she asked followers to “donate to her bank account” after she was forced to close her business.
The tweet read: “If anyone wants to donate to my bank account to cheer me up, I’ll be happy to send you over my details. No time wasters please. Many thanks kind regards xxx”.
If anyone wants to donate to my bank account to cheer me up, I’ll be happy to send you over my details. No time wasters please. Many thanks kind regards xxx
— Elma Pazar (@ElmaPazar) January 5, 2021
The tweet was met with some criticism, with one user writing: “Or you could look for a real job? ‘influencer on social media’ / ‘love island contestant’ are not careers.”
The 27-year-old replied: “I mean people do make careers out of them, and people earn well from them which would imply they are ‘real jobs’. However I’m an eyelash technician, which is also a ‘real job’ and can’t work due to Covid restrictions.”
Another wrote: “Can’t be doing the clothes outfit thing on Instagram paid partnership thing then?,” to which the reality star responded: “I’m not on Instagram currently so your answer is no sweetie xx”.
The beautician explained that she does not qualify for furlough benefits, and therefore has been left without an income.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Elma clarified that while she was “half-joking” in her previous tweet, she had been struggling both mentally and financially amid the pandemic.
She wrote: “The reality is this has hit me, the beauty industry and I’m sure many other sectors hard.
“Just like many in the beauty industry, that are struggling to make ends meet due to the constant back and forward by the government.”
#covid #pandemic #smallbusinesses #thestruggleisreal #borisjohnson pic.twitter.com/X3lSmEXTXt
— Elma Pazar (@ElmaPazar) January 10, 2021
“It’s easy to make this about me, seeing as I was on a TV show for 5 minutes. But truth be told, I had a job which I had to stop doing, just like everyone else. I have bills to pay, just like everyone else,” she continued.
“I am a human, just like everyone else. And like so many others, this has taken a toll on my mental health which has resorted to me giving myself time off Instagram for the past month.
“So I hope that the attention this has brought will be directed to those that are struggling during these hard times – because the reality of it is none of this is easy.
“Hopefully, more help could be offered by our government to support businesses like mine,” Elma concluded the post.
