H&M mother has said for people to 'get over it'

[WomanEmpire]

Apparently she has said on Facebook it's people 'crying wolf' and to 'get over it'

Wdyt?

I personally think H&M are counting their lucky stars and have sort of preyed on her, (this is very presumptuous, so I am prepared to be shot down) knowing that perhaps as someone who is native Nigerian and moved to Sweden (I think relatively recently, but again pull me up on this if I'm incorrect) might not be quite as aware of the racism that incurs in the US/UK, as those who live in these countries and wouldn't think to second guess in a shoot, because you'd trust such a popular retailer to not have racist slurs put on a jumper and modelled by a child, who could quite possibly still be called this by those idiots. Because I still can't believe that NO ONE along the process picked up on this.

I'm not saying racism doesn't occur in other countries but I have experience of those two countries.

How about this angle.

I have worked on shoots for big companies before and quite often there isn't a big team of people, its just a stylist and a photographer with a brief - they shoot the images, send them off and start work on the next brief. With this in mind, if I was the photographer, no I'm sorry, I would think that the little black boy is just as entitles to wear the 'cheeky monkey' top as the little white boy is.

And if I was following my brief would I point out that it might be seen as racist....hell no...because if no one else has at that stage then I would be inclined to think it was me with the issue and I would not be proud of myself for that!

I agree with the mum.

If her child had not been allowed to wear the hoody because he’s black - that would have been racist.

I hope this isn’t the start of children not being able to wear clothes they like because of the colour of their skin... I can just picture the shop signs - clothes for white children/clothes for black children.. how ridiculous (and racist) would that be?

Racism, alive and kicking all over Mumsnet.

Only on MN is it ok to get in a rage over 50p owed you but not be allowed to get upset over an obvious racial slur, or anyone's right to be offended at one.

Isn't that the truth...bizarre how many posters seem to have an issue with others finding something thats clearly offensive to many, offensive.

The fact that someone doesn't disagree with you doesn't mean they're ignorant
So you know all about the history of the slave trade and still don't see a problem as to why people find it extremely offensive?
You're utterly sickening if so, there's actual no words.

It's going the same way as the other thread, sigh

Just for the record,

It is not about the top by itself, it is about the context of the advert and its connotations

The top doesn't read cheeky monkey and yes it is fine to call your child that

It wouldn't have been a problem if the white kid was wearing it

People are upset by it, do not minimise their feelings and experiences

I have no idea how H&M didn’t consider how the slogan would work for non white children and staggered that no-one in the process flagged the ad.

And if I was following my brief would I point out that it might be seen as racist....hell no...because if no one else has at that stage then I would be inclined to think it was me with the issue and I would not be proud of myself for that!

I would always point it out because a) I wouldn’t want to be associated with it and b) I’d know perfectly well what the reaction would be - and perfectly justified imo.

Rogue doesn't in my quote, sorry. Stupid phone

I don't believe the intent was racism. I do not agree that monkeys become intrinsically racist or "tainted" because they have been used by racists, when the context in which they appear is not a racist one.

But of course I get that people can get upset by things that cause them to be reminded of racist things.

Is that enough to make someone else wrong for putting a generic monkey on a black child? Unconvinced.

MrsXx4 The top doesn't say 'cheeky monkey', which is a well-known affectionate phrase. It says Coolest Monkey in the Jungle, which is a bit different.

I take your point about the shoot, but the image must have gone through a lot more steps than just being taken. It wasn't one photographer and a stylist updating H&M's website as they took the shots. It's not an small-time ebay seller.

DistanceCall actually, if you are that ignorant to claim that people have a chip on their shoulder and that you don't see what is offensive about the word monkey, yet recognise that many people have hugely kicked off about it and its all over the media, then yes you do have a responsibility to educate yourself and find out why something has offended people. Have an informed opinion, don't just claim that people are being too PC without questioning WHY people are upset.

I think an individual black child wearing a t-shirt with a monkey on is up to the family. The problem for me is the slogan + it’s an ad. It’s promoting a message.

So no, I am not outraged when informed people disagree with me. I'm outraged about people's attitudes who clearly haven't taken the time/won't take the time to actually find out what the world means to many people/within society when it is used in the context of black/mixed race people.

word

If her child had not been allowed to wear the hoody because he’s black - that would have been racist.

No, it would have been a stylist or a production assistant or someone saying (in Swedish), "I think it's better for our overseas sales if kid B wears this shirt instead. A native English speaker on-set says that the random slogan phrase on the green top sounds like a common racist slur over there, and that if we put kid A in it, it could look like we're referencing that deliberately."

That's not racism.

Some people really need to get back in their lane and listen to the people who are affected and damaged by racist abuse on a daily basis. No doubt these are the same people who deny white privilege, while simultaneously denying that this is an issue.

I don't believe the intent was racism. I do not agree that monkeys become intrinsically racist or "tainted" because they have been used by racists, when the context in which they appear is not a racist one.

I don't think that most people who are offended by it are saying that any reference to monkeys are intrinsically racist. I think they believe that the context and the advert was racist. So, the reference to "in the jungle" and the "survival expert" top on the white child. It not only makes it appear more linked to the common slur, but also had some colonial connotations.

On that note, I don't think anyone's suggesting that we all stop using the term "cheeky monkey". In fact, that term is irrelevant to this discussion.

I agree with her and I find it rather disgusting that people think they know better than she does. Feel very patronising.

Imightmention

Given the outrage on this site alone about one child wearing the hoody can you imagine the fallout if lots of parents of black children bought it?

Who is to say a child cannot wear an item of clothing in case joe public become upset on his behalf?

For something to be considered racist it would have to have a negative connotation based on race.

This hoody says “Coolest monkey”. No negative there...

Really if you're white and you don't understand why this is racist just shut up.

Amen.

strawberries - white people aren't instructing black people how to think at all, what are you actually on about? Black people THEMSELVES are telling you " we find it very offensive" PLUS you're being told why it's offensive and still you don't understand? Are people really this stupid? Or do you actually just not give a shit, know the slave history and still think it's fine that people get bananas thrown at them now even in this day and age? Ugh.

But if the whitey won’t shut up/agree you, what then (apart from page after page of impotent howling/passive aggressive comments)?