Parenting Influencer’s “Skin Care” For Adopted Black Son Sparks Controversy Due To Sensitive History

A white father from Utah has come under fire over a “dehumanizing” video in which he smears Vaseline onto his adopted Black son’s face.

Reed Harris, better known as Grill Father, and his wife, Kaitlin Harris, showcase their life as a family of six on social media.

The couple has three adopted children, two of whom are Black, and one biological child.

A white dad’s skincare video with his adopted Black son sparked outrage, with critics accusing him of being racially insensitive

Image credits: grill.father

The parent influencers, who boast 470,000 Instagram followers across their two accounts, post parenting advice, as well as videos of their children cooking, participating in wrestling competitions, and jumping on the trampoline.

Reed and Kaitlin’s 5-year-old Black son steals the show whenever he appears in the videos. In a recent clip, Reed is seen applying different products to his son’s curly hair and combing it.

While most of the videos are flooded with positive messages, a clip posted on April 19 did not sit well with many Black viewers.

Image credits: grill.father

In the clip, Reed smears Vaseline all over his 5-year-old’s face as the little boy grins.

Many said the video evoked images of enslaved Africans being slathered with oil or grease to give them a “healthy” shine at markets and increase their sale price following their arrival in the Americas.

This practice was also reportedly carried out before auctions to conceal scars resulting from violence at the hands of overseers.

Some viewers said the clip reminded them of Africans being greased before auctions in the Americas

Image credits: grill.father

“Nothing about this feels right! 😢” one commenter wrote, while another alleged, “You’re mocking this child. Sad.” 

“This is disturbing to watch and dehumanizing; it makes me concerned for that child,” someone else stated.

“Not funny. The raaaacist under tones in this is wild,” fumed a separate viewer.

Image credits: grill.father

Between 1500 and 1800, around 12-15 million people were forcibly taken from Africa to be used as enslaved labor in the Caribbean, North, Central, and South America, in what became the largest forced migration in history.

Enslaved people were often branded, and the majority were sent to work on plantations, producing labor-intensive crops such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton.

@harrisparty6 Is this the right homegrown experience?! 😂 @Vaseline ♬ original sound – Harris Family

Amid the backlash over the treatment of his son, some rushed to the dad’s defense, saying those who were offended were reading too much into the clip.

“I wish yall would chill… don’t pretend you don’t have fun with your kids. You don’t have to over-analyze every single thing,” one person said.

“As someone from a similar situation as Miles you’re doing amazing, the negative comments are from people who have had bad experiences and are used to micro aggressions/racial trauma,” another viewer suggested.

Others defended the influencer father, insisting people were reading too much into a harmless skincare video

Image credits: grill.father

“I found this funny and a cute bonding experience. I grew up with my face and body slathered in moisturizer, and it’s a core memory for me,” shared an additional commenter.

The father sometimes asks his viewers for advice on raising African-American children, and Vaseline was one of the suggestions. One fan had suggested that he “aggressively rub” the petroleum jelly onto his son’s face to give him “the homegrown experience.”

According to Healthline, Vaseline helps the skin retain moisture and protects injured or irritated skin.

Image credits: grill.father

Other commenters accused Reed of using the 5-year-old as a “prop” for his videos, with one writing, “This is extremely hard to view.”

Reed has not responded to the criticism at the time of writing.

In a video posted in March, the chef is seen combing his sons’ hair as they wear matching outfits before going to church.

“Raising boys who take pride in themselves. Not for attention, but out of self-respect,” he wrote. “For us, that includes doing our best to show up put together for church. Not out of pressure, but out of respect.”

The backlash reignited conversations about white parents raising Black children, and whether they turn them into “content”

Image credits: grill.father

Similar debates have surfaced before around white parents raising adopted Black children.

In 2024, a white father went viral after asking “Black TikTok” for advice on caring for his adopted Black daughter’s hair, with some viewers accusing him of treating the child as “content.”

“We have adopted a Black baby, her name is Zoë, and I don’t know what to do for her hair,” Will, a 36-year-old dad, said in the video. “Please, any Black parents or anyone who knows what to do with Black children’s hair, please help me in the comments.”

“Is Zoë just for show? Why didn’t they prepare to raise a Black child?” were some of the questions viewers had for Will and his partner.

@harrisparty6 Raising boys who take pride in themselves. Not for attention, but out of self-respect. For us, that includes doing our best to show up put together for church. Not out of pressure, but out of respect. @samsonshaircare ♬ Bloom – Bonus Track – The Paper Kites

Speaking with NBC News, Will called the online accusations “heartbreaking.”

“People said I viewed her as a prop or accessory and not a human being, and that’s not the case at all,” the dad stated. “That’s not how I view my daughter at all.”

He acknowledged that, despite having the best intentions while raising his daughter, he can still “mess up.”

“I’ve learned that I need to be very intentional about the community that surrounds us and her on a consistent basis and have people who look like her talk to her,” Will added. “I want Zoë to grow up to love herself; that includes her personality, her skin color, her hair, everything.” 

“Nothing about this feels right,” one viewer commented

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