TikTok influencer with stammer rejects Borussia Dortmund apology

A Welsh TikTok creator known for raising awareness of speech impediments has rejected Borussia Dortmund's offer of free tickets as an apology for a video the club posted that mocked her stammer.

Jessie Yendle, who posts as Mimidarlingbeauty and has about 3.5 million followers on TikTok, said she would not accept the stadium invitation as a gesture, describing the offer as insufficient and saying the issue goes beyond a single private note.

The Dortmund clip showed Yendle struggling to pronounce a sound while she stammered, before a popular TikTok dance track played over footage of striker Serhou Guirassy. A similar post was posted by Ironman, the triathlon organizer, which later apologised after criticism about the clip. Dortmund's post had been viewed by thousands and was deleted after drawing backlash; the club's account has about 17.3 million followers, and the video amassed hundreds of thousands of views before removal.

"I've spent so many years raising awareness, I'm on social media because I've been misunderstood my entire life," Yendle said. "And to see these corporations mocking my speech – I just felt, in the pit of my stomach, truly humiliated." Dortmund responded that it was "deeply sorry" and invited Yendle to a UEFA Champions League match of her choice, hoping to demonstrate on-site that they are good people. Ironman admitted they should have done proper research before jumping on what they thought was a social media trend.

Yendle, known online as Mimidarlingbeauty, has used millions of views on her content to raise awareness of speech impediments, which affect an estimated 450,000 people in the United Kingdom. Since 2021 she has posted challenges online, including ordering items at drive-throughs and asking for recommendations, while calling for a universal symbol to help people with speech impediments indicate their needs in public settings.

But the encounter has left her wary of social media and more determined to push for responsible use of disability-related content. "They've sent me a private apology, but the apology is like when you go somewhere and have bad customer service," she said. "I didn't even respond to them, because I just thought that's not good enough, you haven't shown a true interest… to educate your team on speech impediments." She added that seeing her face used for clickbait affects younger viewers who may have speech impediments, and she urged brands and creators to reflect before posting.

This incident underscores a broader conversation about how brands harness disability and vulnerability in online trends. Advocates say respectful representation matters, and that consequences should extend beyond a one-off apology. Yendle's experience has reinforced her determination to advocate for better understanding of speech impediments in media and marketing as she continues to grow her platform in 2025.