Would you consider this racist? H&M advert

[BornInSydneyy]

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.

I’m also wondering - who is complaining? White or black people?
Serious question as I wouod actually take much less notice of a white personal is complaining about this campaign because it doesn’t look PC enough iyswim

Totally agree that this is a call for black people to make.

I think only black people can comment on whether this advert is racist or not.

That’s quite a strange view to have.

If (for example) I was a man and I witnessed a woman being turned down for a job role based on the fact she’s female ... I couldn’t comment because I’m not a woman?

It is easily construed as racist.

Chances are the person who did it is not remotely racist and that's why they didn't see the connection.

Of course it is. I say that as a brown person.

The story as I understand it was white models had different slogans (one read survival expert and the otherMangrove jungle)... only the black boy was given a sweat shirt with a monkey on it.

You have to understand the concerns by reference to clear linking of black people and monkey insults-see article about the England under 17 Rhian Brewster (in the last year) www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/28/liverpool-rhian-brewster-racial-abuse-england-uefa

That’s completely different OP- you have no idea what black people find offensive you cannot assume what black people find offensive and if you think you can you need to hide your white privilege.

It's a badly thought-out move, but I can see how it would happen. They have a boy's top in say, size 5-6 years, and a boy model who wears 5-6 years, so they put the boy in the top and snap the photos they need.

I'm white, my stepdaughter (and DH) are black. I don't call her a little monkey/cheeky monkey because of the racist connotations. If she was white, I probably would. It's not ideal that some terms of affection can't be used, but there are plenty of others that can be used without any problems.

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

I posted it because I saw it was on the news and thought it would be an interesting discussion.

Are we not allowed to start threads on recent news items?

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

This is very true.

Racism is discrimination against someone because of their colour, race, etc. I feel that there is no discrimination in H&M's advertising, though they are using words that have racist connotations regardless of the colour of the child wearing the item.

The posters saying that its racist to think that way. Weird perspective- if things like this aren't questioned - ie. If people aren't AWARE of potentially offensive behaviour then no one would be accountable & nothing would change. Its good to question

Some of the comments on this thread are a bit...challenging. Posters are calling the OP a racist for posting the thread.

I think to pretend that no-one has ever made racist comments about black people and monkeys is being deliberately tone deaf. To ignore the long history of racism and language is being deliberately tone deaf.

Some of the comments on this thread are breathtaking, frankly.

I don't think it was meant racist and I would not have made the connection.

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.
this

Never heard of monkey being a racist term. Here in Australia, it's what you call a cheeky/funny child. Monkeying around etc.

I think it says more about you, thinking it's racist, than it says about the shirt/child combination.

I don’t think it’s a “call for black people to make”to decide whether this is acceptable or not. just because black people have the same colour skin as each other, doesn’t mean they have the same thoughts as each other. Some might think it’s unacceptable others might think ok.

Rcit my point is white people do not get to decide what a POC views as racist.

I posted it because I saw it was on the news and thought it would be an interesting discussion.

Are we not allowed to start threads on recent news items?*

No the answer to the question I asked though.

I think it says more about you, thinking it's racist, than it says about the shirt/child combination

www.sbs.com.au/news/racist-police-targeted-africans

Here you go love.

I often call my white kids monkeys because they are cute and cheeky. This does not negate from the hideous abuse that black people have put up with for years. Bananas thrown on football pitches, ape sounds etc. H & M must be incredibly hard of thinking to not have expected a backlash against this ad. I had a real WTF moment when I saw it.

I don't even see an issue. all kids are cheeky little monkeys if anyone wants to read more into it then they need to stop being so judgemental.

I’m sad that it would be considered racist by anyone. I’m not sure racism or prejudice is best overcome by pulling the ad.

I think this is case where we are all ok with children being fondly referred to as little monkeys - then it is not right to only have a white child wear clothing with a phrase that most of us of any colour skin use for our children without any racist connotation.

SuperBeagle

Maybe you should look at twitter - there’s a lot of black influencers on there raging with H&M it’s been trending today actually so no it’s not the OP making the connection - it has been in the news.