Posted on 04/10/2016 6:06:29 AM PDT by HomerBohn
Gap actually apologized for an ad that people called racist because it features a white model leaning on a black model — and, apparently, that’s saying that all black girls “can do is bear the weight of White [sic] girls.” Here are just a few of the Tweets expressing the outrage over the ad:
(Read tweeted comments at link)
And here is Gap’s apology: “As a brand with a proud 46 year history of championing diversity and inclusivity, we appreciate the conversation that has taken place and are sorry to anyone we’ve offended,”
Gap spokeswoman Debbie Felix said in a statement to Fortune. So . . . why did Gap apologize? Because someone was offended, of course! These days, whenever someone gets offended, it seems as though it’s just automatically expected that the offender will apologize, no matter how ridiculous the offended person or group’s actual complaint may be. And, usually, “offenders” fulfill that expectation — regardless of the reality of the situation.
I understand that Gap’s apology was intended to make people feel better, but the fact that it said sorry is more of a cause for outrage than that ad itself. After all, apologizing for ridiculous complaints only prompts more. The ad features four girls from the traveling circus company Le Petit Cirque.
Chuck C said it best:
I am incensed. Clearly this has nothing to do with race at all but is instead a blatant attempt to discriminate against and further disparage short humans, or, as I call them, the height challenged. When will we stop "looking down" on those who have to look up? As a below average sized male, I can't wait for the day that my group is also a protected class. We have long been "overlooked." (Puns and sarcasm intended.) BTW, despite Katherine's usually dependable writing and commentary, this one time she left out what I think is a pertinent fact. A similar ad by Gap some time ago showed the racial roles reversed yet there was no outcry when the black arm was resting on a white kid's head.
White girl clearly should’ve been face down on the ground in cuffs for crimes of privilege.
The very presence of the short black girl is gratuitous racism
Racism is the only reason for her presence
the stupid. it hurts.
the rubber band is being stretched to its limit and it WILL snap.
The time has come for someone to put their foot down, and that foot is me :)
You think you have it rough because you are vertically challenged? I am left handed which is a much more severe problem. When do I get my victim status?
If I were entrepreneurial, I would develop a soothing cream to treat micro-agressions like this. Rub a little on your forehead, hug your teddy, and it’s all better.
This is about as normal a pose by children as you can get. (well, except the one with the leg over her head) My daughters did this pose all the time. As did I with my sister and my wife with her brother. It’s like the bunny ears pose with a kid sneaking 2 fingers behind a head.
We live in a world gone mad.
There is an ancient curse, attributed to the Chinese and the Irish and probably a dozen or so other peoples;
“May you live in interesting times”.
God Almighty knows, we do.
Had the races been reversed, it would still be racists! (sic) because it implied that blacks are dependent on whites.
The apology was wrongheaded. The correct response should have been that the photograph depicted youthful exuberance, wonder, and curiosity and nothing else, and anyone reading anything else into it had bigger problems than retail advertising can address.
Kids have been doing that sort of thing since the beginning of time. If anything, one kid leaning on another is a demonstration of friendship, the antithesis of racism.
The best part of this nonsense is that the two girls (according to an article I read) are sisters. The fact that the white girl is taller than the black girl (even though she’s older) is PROOF that the parents are racists too!
Mark
And the absence of any diversity at all should be grounds for legal action as well.
I am offended that it says “ Go Left” on their clothes. Is that some sort of political statement? Are they trying to brainwash the yutes with subliminal messages?
What bothers me the most is what choice is the GAP given but to apologize? This wouldn’t be left alone until they did. Stocks would plummet, stores would close.
Next will be lunatic demands to apologize for the Gap not including at least one LGBTQWXYZ model in their ad.
my mother took my being left handed as a personal sin. until she died at 86, she would trot out her justification for my left handedness.
btw....... fisker makes left handed scissors that are truly great.
That is for sure. Racism is perpetuated because people can't just look at this advertisement as a cute ad, they have to visualize something unintended.
My elementary school teachers treated me like I was retarded because I didn’t know how to use the CORRECT hand.
The more that asinine protests, such as this inane one, are made over crap like this the wider the ‘gap’ between the negro race and the rest of America.
Contrary to some thinking, diversity is not our strength.
Some companies would have pointed out the girls and sisters and have reversed that pose in previous ads.
But GAP is extremely liberal and PC (I repeat myself), so from their standpoint facts don't matter. Apology is necessary, just and right from a liberal point of view.
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