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Artists Around The World React To H&M’s Controversial Ad
38Kviews
33submissions
Finished
The famous clothing brand H&M has recently published an ad for its new hoodie that reads "Coolest monkey in the jungle." Sounds innocent, but the reason behind all the anger it caused was a black boy modelling for that ad, which was not well received all around the world.
Some people claimed that while the ad was probably an oversight, it was also quite deaf and insensitive. In South Africa it even resulted in burning, trashing and stealing clothes from H&M's stores. Artists around the world, however, reacted in a way they know best - they turned the offensive hoodie into something positive by creating beautiful works of art. Scroll down, vote for the best and add yours!
#3
#15
okay hate on me if you want... but why does the girl have to be wearing hot pink and a tiara?
#18
It is lovely, but I don't quite understand the 'plants' (?) at his shoulders?
#19
I love that the sun seems to be shining around and through him. Nice!
#23
#26
I like this; the darkness is surrounding him, but he does not look afraid.
#31
The eyes make it look a bit scary, but overall the artistry of the paint strokes make it really stand out.
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In my town we call all the children here little monkeys regardless of where their genetic ancestry is from or their complexions. I'm from a biracial family and I'd happily see any of the little monkeys in the family in this hoodie, it wouldn't even cross my mind that someone bought it to be offensive. Would've just assumed the one that bought it knew the monsters. Personally I find it offensive that being black means I can't refer to him as I would any other child. That the world thinks he should be segregated from wearing the same clothing and being called the same loveable nicknames because of his skin colour is a crazy step backward that's being painted as progress.....
Thank you!!! People are so sensitive and badshit ridiculous now. Even the child's own mother said on the news how stupid this whole charade is. It's just plain craziness.
I was actually thinking that some parents do call their children "little monkeys" as an endearment, but can't say anything because I'm white and I would be shit down in a millisecond.
*shot down*
Debbie Andersson. I strongly want to see racism to cease, I get I don't understand things from the perspective somebody who's black. I would not claim otherwise or claim any privelige over any fellow human. One thing I do get to see is that the "crying wolf" approach and the reactions that come with it worsen attitudes and not improve them. Crying wolf has weakened the word "racism", meaning people take it less seriously and it does mean there is this side that now believes that "racism" is just a snowflake term, because they believe people get offended by anything that COULD be interpreted as offensive when it wasn' meant as such. You may not take it from me that it is crying wolf, would you be prepared to listen to the boy's mother who said the same thing. The assumption is "they're ignorant" and this lack of discourse is just going to make things worse, as it has already been. I think racism is fucked up and want it gone but I don't see how the current approach is helping...
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Why does Robert Williamson have so many downvotes? he´s right for crying out loud. But no, here we have a ton of whites going "But -I- have opinions!" "But -IIIIII- have observatet this and that", "But -I!!III!!II!- as a white person can still see what racism is!!!!11!!", "But -IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII- this it´s racist to see the kid as a black kid and not just a kid!!!", we, as whites, do NOT go through the same racism as they do, we do NOT know the same pain, and we are not blind, we do bloody see the kid is dark, it´s obvious, but we have no right to treat anyone bad because of their skincolor, thats the thing...You wouldn´t expect someone who is colorblind to see colors the same way you do, exactly the same does racism work, we do not see the world the same as dark people do, the history is still there, they do not have the same opportunities with buying houses, getting jobs and so on because who whites fucked them over in the past, so tired of whites entitelment...
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In the UK monkey was used as racist abuse. Footballers had bananas thrown at them and monkey chants and noises when they got the ball. Why a white woman is trying to decide what is racist lord only knows. Maybe just shut up and leave blacks to know what abuse they have suffered.
To further add, this story could easily have gone the other way "I am sorry kid, we can't use you are a model for this shoot because you're black, we'll have a white kid do it instead, so that people don't think we're racist". Would this be any better? Or would removing any race from the context entirely be better? I see the outcry being a negative effect on racism, rather than a positive one.
As I would not be allowed to have an opinion as a white guy. I will instead impart the opinion of the boy's mother, that people are crying wolf over this. And I think there is sense in her words. There are two main points about the story of the boy who cried wolf, one is that the boy cried panic over something that's not there. And two, the boy cried so much than when it was there, people didn't listen. My observation of the last 10 or so years has been of the latter. When we're jumping down on people for something that *could* be interpreted as racist, instead of encouraging something a lot more positive, more and more people are taking the view when the word "racism" is thrown around that it is snowflakes complaining about nothing. This is what we are seeing more of, even before Trump's presidency. Yes the word can be used as racist abuse. But I think the message that would be a lot more positive would have been "children are little monkeys", this would have removed race from it.
From what i understand in the UK is common to call children monkeys. And his mother was fine with that and if mother is fine with something no one should be Bitching about it. The only wild monkeys were that people who trashed that shop...
yep grew up being called a cheeky monkey, i would call that boy a cheeky monkey if he was my younger sibling. Then again i am white therefore a horrible racist right?
In Asia, we call kids who are active and silly "monkeys".. I don't even know why they are so sensitive.
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So, the only wild monkeys were black people? Well done for reminding people that racism still exists.
well, if you trash a shop you are wild monkey, whatever your black, white and green
I still think it's racist to see him as a black child and not just as a child.
I mean, everyone can see hes black, but does it matter? I think not
That was my first impression too: that I could not see it until they pinpointed it, so they must be the racist ones. However, upon further reflection, I understand the word has a very negative connotation for many black people because the truth remains, just as much as it has been used in a cute way to address children, it has also been applied as a racist remark. I believe it to be a marketing mistake, not a racist one.
It's not "racist" to identify a race. Racism cannot be eradicated by ignoring it. The concept of "colorblindness" to race is just another word for ignorance.
I completely agree with the first half of this statement. But I do believe it is possible to be "colorblind" in an evolved society. I have friends of every race. I don't see Artra as a lovely black woman, she is simply a lovely woman. Mea is not a beautiful Mexican girl, she's just a beautiful girl. Race is something we discuss. We agree there are differences in culture, but these have nothing to do with race.
And yet, children are colorblind. How many stories have we heard about white and black children, growing up together, believing they can pass off as brothers? The rest is social conditioning. Identity is important, but we are not defined by our skin color.
lisa, Ignoring someone's race ignores their identity. Please read: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/culturally-speaking/201112/colorblind-ideology-is-form-racism
In my town we call all the children here little monkeys regardless of where their genetic ancestry is from or their complexions. I'm from a biracial family and I'd happily see any of the little monkeys in the family in this hoodie, it wouldn't even cross my mind that someone bought it to be offensive. Would've just assumed the one that bought it knew the monsters. Personally I find it offensive that being black means I can't refer to him as I would any other child. That the world thinks he should be segregated from wearing the same clothing and being called the same loveable nicknames because of his skin colour is a crazy step backward that's being painted as progress.....
Thank you!!! People are so sensitive and badshit ridiculous now. Even the child's own mother said on the news how stupid this whole charade is. It's just plain craziness.
I was actually thinking that some parents do call their children "little monkeys" as an endearment, but can't say anything because I'm white and I would be shit down in a millisecond.
*shot down*
Debbie Andersson. I strongly want to see racism to cease, I get I don't understand things from the perspective somebody who's black. I would not claim otherwise or claim any privelige over any fellow human. One thing I do get to see is that the "crying wolf" approach and the reactions that come with it worsen attitudes and not improve them. Crying wolf has weakened the word "racism", meaning people take it less seriously and it does mean there is this side that now believes that "racism" is just a snowflake term, because they believe people get offended by anything that COULD be interpreted as offensive when it wasn' meant as such. You may not take it from me that it is crying wolf, would you be prepared to listen to the boy's mother who said the same thing. The assumption is "they're ignorant" and this lack of discourse is just going to make things worse, as it has already been. I think racism is fucked up and want it gone but I don't see how the current approach is helping...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Why does Robert Williamson have so many downvotes? he´s right for crying out loud. But no, here we have a ton of whites going "But -I- have opinions!" "But -IIIIII- have observatet this and that", "But -I!!III!!II!- as a white person can still see what racism is!!!!11!!", "But -IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII- this it´s racist to see the kid as a black kid and not just a kid!!!", we, as whites, do NOT go through the same racism as they do, we do NOT know the same pain, and we are not blind, we do bloody see the kid is dark, it´s obvious, but we have no right to treat anyone bad because of their skincolor, thats the thing...You wouldn´t expect someone who is colorblind to see colors the same way you do, exactly the same does racism work, we do not see the world the same as dark people do, the history is still there, they do not have the same opportunities with buying houses, getting jobs and so on because who whites fucked them over in the past, so tired of whites entitelment...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
In the UK monkey was used as racist abuse. Footballers had bananas thrown at them and monkey chants and noises when they got the ball. Why a white woman is trying to decide what is racist lord only knows. Maybe just shut up and leave blacks to know what abuse they have suffered.
To further add, this story could easily have gone the other way "I am sorry kid, we can't use you are a model for this shoot because you're black, we'll have a white kid do it instead, so that people don't think we're racist". Would this be any better? Or would removing any race from the context entirely be better? I see the outcry being a negative effect on racism, rather than a positive one.
As I would not be allowed to have an opinion as a white guy. I will instead impart the opinion of the boy's mother, that people are crying wolf over this. And I think there is sense in her words. There are two main points about the story of the boy who cried wolf, one is that the boy cried panic over something that's not there. And two, the boy cried so much than when it was there, people didn't listen. My observation of the last 10 or so years has been of the latter. When we're jumping down on people for something that *could* be interpreted as racist, instead of encouraging something a lot more positive, more and more people are taking the view when the word "racism" is thrown around that it is snowflakes complaining about nothing. This is what we are seeing more of, even before Trump's presidency. Yes the word can be used as racist abuse. But I think the message that would be a lot more positive would have been "children are little monkeys", this would have removed race from it.
From what i understand in the UK is common to call children monkeys. And his mother was fine with that and if mother is fine with something no one should be Bitching about it. The only wild monkeys were that people who trashed that shop...
yep grew up being called a cheeky monkey, i would call that boy a cheeky monkey if he was my younger sibling. Then again i am white therefore a horrible racist right?
In Asia, we call kids who are active and silly "monkeys".. I don't even know why they are so sensitive.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
So, the only wild monkeys were black people? Well done for reminding people that racism still exists.
well, if you trash a shop you are wild monkey, whatever your black, white and green
I still think it's racist to see him as a black child and not just as a child.
I mean, everyone can see hes black, but does it matter? I think not
That was my first impression too: that I could not see it until they pinpointed it, so they must be the racist ones. However, upon further reflection, I understand the word has a very negative connotation for many black people because the truth remains, just as much as it has been used in a cute way to address children, it has also been applied as a racist remark. I believe it to be a marketing mistake, not a racist one.
It's not "racist" to identify a race. Racism cannot be eradicated by ignoring it. The concept of "colorblindness" to race is just another word for ignorance.
I completely agree with the first half of this statement. But I do believe it is possible to be "colorblind" in an evolved society. I have friends of every race. I don't see Artra as a lovely black woman, she is simply a lovely woman. Mea is not a beautiful Mexican girl, she's just a beautiful girl. Race is something we discuss. We agree there are differences in culture, but these have nothing to do with race.
And yet, children are colorblind. How many stories have we heard about white and black children, growing up together, believing they can pass off as brothers? The rest is social conditioning. Identity is important, but we are not defined by our skin color.
lisa, Ignoring someone's race ignores their identity. Please read: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/culturally-speaking/201112/colorblind-ideology-is-form-racism