The frat mom from the University of Oklahoma’s now-banned Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is upset and “heartbroken” after she was portrayed as a racist for a video that surfaced of her chanting the n-word, the Daily Mail reports.
The video from Vine, which was posted in February 2013, shows Beauton Gilbow, 79, laughing and singing at a party and repeatedly chanting the offensive slur. However, according to Gilbow, she was just singing a song—Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything”—even though, as the Daily Mail notes, at no point in the actual song is the word used seven times in a row.
“I have been made aware that a video of me … is circulating on social media and in the news. I am heartbroken by the portrayal that I am in some way racist. I have friends of all race and do not tolerate any form of discrimination in my life,” Gilbow said in a statement, according to the site. “I was singing along to a Trinidad song, but completely understand how the video must appear in the context of the events that occurred this week.”
The fraternity chapter was closed down this week after footage of members cheering along to a vile racist chant was released online, referencing lynching and claiming, “There will never be n—ger SAE.”
University President David Boren acted swiftly and, along with banning the frat, expelled two of the students who allegedly led the chant. With the closure of the frat, Gilbow was out of a job—along with Howard Dixon, the frat’s black chef—and campaigns to raise money for both of them were launched. Dixon’s campaign had collected almost $60,000 as of 12:30 p.m. EDT, well over the $50,000 goal. A similar fund started for Gilbow disappeared around the time the Vine video started going viral.
Read more at the Daily Mail.