Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 ··· 15 16 17 ··· 39 40

Original poster

Would you consider this racist? H&M advert

999 replies

BornInSydneyy · 08/01/2018 21:12

A young black boy wearing a jumper that says -

“Coolest monkey in the jungle”

I genuinely can’t understand how anyone thought that was acceptable.

OP posts:

Thread gallery

80sQueen · 09/01/2018 08:53

ASsociating black people with monkeys is degrading them as humans, and designating them as sub-human, as animals. I wonder when the above last happened and how it panned out for Black people. Wasn't a so long ago -African people like myself where placed in human zoos for the enjoyment of Europeans, so er yeah it's an issue for us.

80sQueen · 09/01/2018 08:53

I'm heartened and glad that there people on here that get it and are honest

NewPapaGuinea · 09/01/2018 08:55

People's offence is perpetuating the phrase as racist. The easiest way to kill off any malice is to embrace it and it loses its power. Words and phrases are only offensive if someone reacts.

NeandathalWoman · 09/01/2018 09:06

No not at all. My DSC has tons of 'best little monkey", "naughty monkey" slogans on his t-shirt and tons of monkey toys!

Aeroflotgirl · 09/01/2018 09:09

Exactly new, people are making this offensive, same with bitch (female dog) and cow. Yes my DS is still a little monkey, iwill not stop using it because racists are using this.

AppleTrayBake · 09/01/2018 09:10

God what a frustrating thread. How hard do you have to look to see a black child labelled as a 'Monkey in the Jungle' as racism?

People claiming not to see it, because they are 'oh so nice' ignorant. Do you sit with a confused look on your face when black footballers are subjected to monkey chants?

Of cause everyone knows the connotations between Black people and 'Monkeys in the Jungle'.

And stop talking about 'cheeky monkey' being a term of endearment. It's not what the slogan says, read it again ffs.

Aeroflotgirl · 09/01/2018 09:10

It's playing into the racists hands and letting them take over.

Aeroflotgirl · 09/01/2018 09:12

I agree, that slogan was racist, if it said cheeky monkey, or coolest monkey around, fine.

Weebo · 09/01/2018 09:17

No Aero it's about respecting black people and what they as a race/individuals have been through.

Why do you think you know better?

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 09/01/2018 09:18

NewPapaGuinea
People's offence is perpetuating the phrase as racist. The easiest way to kill off any malice is to embrace it and it loses its power. Words and phrases are only offensive if someone reacts.

You may not realise, but this isn't a use of an old racist term that has died out. Monkey is a word used to racially abuse people here and now. There are plenty of people on this thread who have testified to having heard it, and there have been links to news reports on racial harassment.

If someone calls me a cunt in the street later today, is it my fault if I find that offensive? Should I embrace the term? (How?) Is it somehow my fault for understanding that they are trying to intimidate and demean me?

Gilead · 09/01/2018 09:21

It's not about giving in to anybody, it's not about racism being in the eye of the beholder it's about respecting that white colonialists historically ascribed animalistic features and intent to black people. It's about accepting and understanding that to a large section of the population this is dismissing and marginalising both their past and the racism that exists in the present. We are not giving in to anyone by stating that you don't call someone a monkey because of the connotations associated with it. By not calling out the racists and ' by not allowing them to win', you deny the prejudice. That is racist in itself.

Weebo · 09/01/2018 09:22

You really shouldn't find being called a Cunt offensive, IMight.

They are wonderful, cute, fluffy things (well some are) - It's not their fault people use them as an insult!

Poor cunts.

Ahem...

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 09/01/2018 09:22

Exactly new, people are making this offensive, same with bitch (female dog) and cow. Yes my DS is still a little monkey, iwill not stop using it because racists are using this.

Making it offensive? Dear lord, when I made that post, I thought you would get it, not pretend bitch and cow were harmless!

Do you have a daughter? If a group of kids followed her home calling her a bitch, would it be her making it offensive? If a bloke tells you to "get out of the way, you fat cow" later, will you be making something out of nothing?

JAPAB · 09/01/2018 09:25

Presubly the top was not designed or marketed for black children, so no racism on that front.

It is possible that the person who bought it for them intended some sort of racism, but I personally wouldn't just assume thus.

So I am guessing it comes down to whether a black person should wear a generic slogan that is not racist when applied to kids generally, but it may, for some, call to mind racist slurs when applied to a black person?

Not sure that reminding someone of something racist is racist?

ToffeeUp · 09/01/2018 09:25

By not calling out the racists and ' by not allowing them to win', you deny the prejudice. That is racist in itself

Well said Gilead

Goldenhandshake · 09/01/2018 09:26

Anyone with an ounce of social awareness, would realise this was a stupid thing to do, i cannot believe it got to print.

Rosewatersoap · 09/01/2018 09:28

To all white people on this thread who insist that there is no issue with this ad please stop telling black people what is and what isn't racism, you have no idea and are being presumptuous to say the least.

The ignorance on this thread is breathtaking. Anyone who works in marketing for a multi national company will be well trained and well aware of cultural diversity and how large scale brand communications absolutely have to take into account their global audience. This is not only because of common decency btw but because global stakeholders will not be best pleased if their shares are affected in any way at all because one art director, photographer or a lowly studio assistant was too stupid to see the ugly cultural connotations.

Heads will roll over this it's a competitive business. I'd have expected much more from H&M tbh.

BertrandRussell · 09/01/2018 09:32

As i said, it is exactly the same as the gollywog apologists, and all the Mumsnetters with loads of black friends who love being called chocolate face because it’s all just banter.......

MotherofaSurvivor · 09/01/2018 09:34

I think you're the racist one for finding the connotation and branding it Racist

Gilead · 09/01/2018 09:37

I think you're the racist one for finding the connotation and branding it Racist
Perhaps you'd care to explain, because as your comment stands, it's racist. You are marginalising both the historic and current use of the word as a racist slogan. I would suggest you read the links and then come back, because at the moment you appear to be suggesting ignoring rather than calling out, which as I said before, is racist.

AppleTrayBake · 09/01/2018 09:37

I think you're the racist one for finding the connotation and branding it Racist

Please explain how not being ignorant to the use the term 'Monkey in the Jungle' as a racist term to degrade black people...makes you racist?

I'll await your reply with bated breath.

NotACleverName · 09/01/2018 09:38

Try reading the full thread, Mother.

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 09/01/2018 09:40

It is possible that the person who bought it for them intended some sort of racism, but I personally wouldn't just assume thus.

Oh joy.

It's not someone putting their own kid in a t-shirt. It's a multi-national company putting a slogan t-shirt that sounds like a common racial slur on a model from the ethnicity that is commonly targeted with that racial slur. For some reason, they're losing sales instead of gaining them.

At best, this marketing decision demonstrates that some people are ignorant and pants at their job. At worst, someone in charge thought it would be funny.

user789653241 · 09/01/2018 09:40

BertrandRussell , I'd rather my mixed race child doesn't feel offended by someone calling him a monkey with affection.

JAPAB · 09/01/2018 09:41

You are marginalising both the historic and current use of the word as a racist slogan.

If the kid had been white would we be having this discussion. As I said above, this seems more about whether it is wrong to do things that might remind some people of racist, rather than this being racist in itself.

Flip

1 2 ··· 15 16 17 ··· 39 40