Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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
10
MarthaArthur · 08/01/2018 21:29

It makes me really uncomfortable people are saying a black child shouldnt wear a cute sweatshirt aimed at kids because he is black.

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 08/01/2018 21:29

It's not racist for a little boy to where a top with a monkey on but it is racist for you to suggest a little boy shouldn't because of the colour of his skin

There is a difference between a little boy choosing a top for himself with a word that has been historically used as a racist insult for black men, and a multi-national company putting a black child model in a top with a word that has been historically used as a racist insult.

No-one's saying that the boy is not allowed the shirt, we're noticing that putting him in it looks like H&M are having a joke at his expense.

What does your son's dad think of you putting your son in monkey shirts?

A

drspouse · 08/01/2018 21:31

its not racist thats a common thing to call children in this country.
It's also still a common thing to call black people.
In the US, for the Obamas most notably recently. In the UK there have been several incidents involving football crowds IN THE LAST 2-3 YEARS.

KnobZombie7 · 08/01/2018 21:31

For a few people, possibly the older generation, it may stir up negative feelings of a time where racism was less 'unacceptable' but for people today, I wouldn't imagine many would make any connection with racism at all. I see where you're coming from, OP, but it isn't racist. It's a shame it's been brought to light by the media, however, as this will encourage people to question what is simply an innocent piece of marketing.

TheQueenOfWands · 08/01/2018 21:33

I wouldn't have made the connection.

DS (who's white) had various 'little monkey' t-shirts over the years. Along with dinosaurs, robots, Jedi, etc.

Don't see a monkey being any different.

Poor kid probably has a massive complex about being called a monkey, now.

GammaDelta · 08/01/2018 21:33

I am not white but can't see how its racist.

HolyShmoly · 08/01/2018 21:34

I don't know if it's racist, but I would say it was ill thought out. I think swapping the two boys' jumpers round would have avoided all of this.

ThunderboltsLightning · 08/01/2018 21:34

This is a tricky one because 'cheeky monkey' is an affectionate name for a child; any child. It would almost feel wrong to hold back from using that term with a black child when one would have no hesitation to use it with a child of any other ethnicity. However, there is sadly a history of that word being used in a derogatory way so offence could be inadvertently caused.

rcit · 08/01/2018 21:37

I’m on the fence. There are thousands and thousands of items of clothing with some sort of monkey slogan. It was probably just ill thought out. But on the other hand I don’t think it looks very good for H&M to put a black child in the top.

PinkFluffyBlanket · 08/01/2018 21:37

The only unacceptable thing is that ANYONE thought of monkeys and black people as the same thing.

It is not racist, but it's very sad that people see a young boy wearing a jumper saying 'cheeky monkey' and automatically compare a black person to a monkey and assume racism.

drspouse · 08/01/2018 21:38

It's not history, though. It's present day, both sides of the Atlantic.
If you haven't heard of it, fine, but have a listen to the news occasionally please.

rcit · 08/01/2018 21:39

But is is more than “cheeky monkey” which would be fine
It’s the jungle part that makes it wrong . Many racists want black people to “go back to the jungle”.

Pollaidh · 08/01/2018 21:40

I'm white and would never have connected monkey with skin colour... however, now I've been informed of the abuse some people receive I can see how it could easily look racist if, say, you're black and have experienced, or heard of, people calling black people monkeys.

Anyway, as a white person it's not my call to decide whether it is racist or not. If a non-white person says it's racist, then I'll go with their interpretation.

However I'm surprised the marketing team, who should be on the look-out for things of this nature, did not pick this up.

Original poster
BornInSydneyy · 08/01/2018 21:40

I see where you're coming from, OP, but it isn't racist.

But I didn’t say it was racist. I said it was unacceptable.

OP posts:
Whiterabbitears · 08/01/2018 21:40

I don't think its racist, lots of kids like monkeys and the cheeky monkey aspect. I think it would be really sad if black children couldn't wear or play with anything related to monkeys because some ignorant twats immediately think "black person, monkey".

HolyShmoly · 08/01/2018 21:40

Oh and afaik the other (white) boy's jumper indicates that he is a 'survival expert.' Granted, the monkey jumper is cuter and it's not the jumper that's the issue. It's that contrast that makes me question it. I don't think it's intentional, but it is a stupid pr fail. Like, how did no one catch that?

nooka · 08/01/2018 21:41

Calling a black person a monkey isn't some ancient term of abuse, it's still fairly common. Racists still make 'monkey noises' at black people, ask them 'when they got down from the tress/ out of the jungle' etc etc.

The complaints being made aren't about the child modeling or their parents. They are aimed at H&M who approved the design of the shirt, then the photoshoot and final campaign. I can't believe that at no point anyone said that it was a really bad idea which had a high potential to bring critical public attention and possibly damage their brand.

motherfiver · 08/01/2018 21:41

@BornInSydneyy

But I didn’t say it was racist. I said it was unacceptable.

So you don't think it's racist? It's just unacceptable, why? Because your the racist.

OP posts:
MarthaArthur · 08/01/2018 21:43

This weirds me out. So both jumpers are fine for sale. But black children cant wear the monkey one and white kids cant wear the survival one or its racist an links to completely seperate incidents of black people being called monkey as recently as 2-3 years ago. I still find it bizarre. The parents were fine with it. The kid looks fine with it. Other black parents might be fine with buying it for their kids. Seems a total over reaction.

Original poster
BornInSydneyy · 08/01/2018 21:43

So you don't think it's racist? It's just unacceptable, why? Because your the racist.

I think it’s unacceptable because it could easily offend so many people.

But yeah I’m a racist as well of course Smile

OP posts:
HermioneAndMsJones · 08/01/2018 21:44

TBH I dont know....

On one hand, ther is a clear connexion between monkeys and black people. A really bad racist one.
On the other, are we really saying that it’s ok to call a white child a little monkey but that’s not ok to say that from a black child? Is that ok to treat them differently?

Maybe the answer on that one was to have TWO children wearing the same jumper, one white and one black so there was no confusion Confused

I would like to know what people on here who are black think about that. I assume this will depend of their experience re what sort of insult has been thrown at them? (I am aware that being white, I actually do not know the real reality of it)

Hermagsjesty · 08/01/2018 21:44

I personally don’t think it’s racist per se - but I’m speaking from a position of white priveledge and I do understand why lots of people of colour who have negative connotations of being called monkeys and told to go back to the jungle have found it insensitive/ offensive (and I have seen lots of my non-white friends on Twitter expressing their distaste for it). I am very surprised the marketing dept didn’t consider it.

Coconutspongexo · 08/01/2018 21:45

I think only black people can comment on whether this advert is racist or not and by the looks of twitter there is a massive uproar so yes it’s racist.

LadyBunnysWig · 08/01/2018 21:46

OP would you have posted this thread if a white child had been modelling the top?