Posted on 10/25/2018 4:58:08 AM PDT by TigerClaws
In a surprising apology, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Canadian outdoor apparel giant, admitted to helping advance the “vastly incorrect notion” that the outdoors is for white people only, criticizing decades worth of its own advertisements and catalogues for depending almost exclusively on white models to sell wares.
“Outside is for everyone,” MEC CEO David Labistour said in an open letter Monday. “It’s time we acted like it.”
The letter — titled “Do white people dominate the outdoors?” — includes a collage of old MEC ads: white people hiking and biking and rock climbing and cross-country skiing; white people in khaki shorts; white people rafting in wetsuits
It was an unorthodox move, since the apology wasn’t pre-empted by scandal — as has become the norm — but by quiet feedback, as well as an online survey of outdoor leisure and sport habits across the country, according to the company. In an interview Tuesday, Labistour said the tendency to use white models in advertising had “just been a traditional thing.”
“It’s how we grew up. It’s a historic part of our organization and the industry,” he said. “It’s been our industry paradigm. And it’s been, kind of, what we’ve always done. And sometimes we have to shift that paradigm.”
Monday’s apology was coupled with the unveiling of a new MEC “initiative,” bent on changing “the way we represent the outdoor community.” The move, MEC clarified in a statement, comes after employees and co-op members requested more diversity in the company’s ads.
“We know we’ve been part of the problem,” Labistour wrote. “This initiative isn’t about patting ourselves on the back. It’s also not about me, another straight white male with a voice in the outdoor industry.”
Labistour told the National Post that revamping advertising to feature more people of colour would help attract a more diverse workforce for MEC stores. “We have to be seen as a brand that represents the diversity of Canada in order to attract the diversity of Canada,” he said.
Going to triathlons you see about 1% blacks. Just look at fun runs and see how many minorities there are....probably 20% at the most.
But...they do like the clothing....so model away!
I live in Coastal Alabama.I see many black and Latino people fishing and on the beaches. Also many more black people boating these days.
Disgusting cave in. Tell the critics to go to hell. Can you rent actors from an actors’ agency by skin color and whether part of LGBT?
funny ,I spent a lot of my life in the woods and the outdoors and I really haven’t seen many people of color there.
Mr. “T” likely didn’t want to get hung in one of his own trees.
I don’t know if I completely agree with this.
I know when you get far away from cities there does tend to be more Anglos, but there are lots of public parks out west, where a huge majority are largely Hipanic.
By far, and away the huge majority.
Not necessarily camping, but absolutely using public parks.
Big time.
Not going on that site...no intention of buying anything from them.
Just chalking this news up to “PC gone wrong” and WTF is that guy thinking?”
“Canadians, whores and hockey players.” (from an old joke)
“We know we’ve been part of the problem,”
No, the problem is believing that “people of color”
can’t see beyond their skin to consider whether they
might like the product.
The only blacks you see in the outdoors are fishing off a bridge.
Blacks don’t as much do that stuff. Never saw many as scouts. Fishing, sure. Camping, not so much. I’m sure the advertiser was just being a hateful racist by not having POCs in their ad.
“So an all-white commercial with an Asian in every 3rd or 4th commercial DOES represent Canada’s “diversity.”
Using the NEW MATH?
Let’s try.....
If there were 3 blacks and 4 Asians out of every 100 actors in a commercial or series of commercials, THAT would represent Canada’s diversity!!!!
Yes, white people dominate outdoors.
The only other people I have ever seen in the woods, on the trails or at the creek are Hispanic people, which are also white people.
Oh No! Racist mountains!
It would be a good idea to get more into the outdoors, at shooting ranges and hunting and fishing.
That way they would get to meet non leftists, and maybe come over from the dark side (democrat party).
Hiking on AMC trails, not so good.
There they will meet mostly Appalachian Mountain Communists members.
I see the same. Especially with immigrants. Little regard for the environment, habitats, trees, plants, etc. cut em down, gotta make room for that above ground pool, trampoline that’s never used, granfma, the kids, and grandkids.
Oh yeah also the trucks. The native plants and trees be damned
Oh Year, throw up a chicken wire fence too, without regards to the neighbors and their property values
Not really new.
Social Justice Warriors have been complaining for years that our national parks are just too white.
I remember when Oprah had her show she did a show where she went 'camping' to encourage blacks to go camping too.
There are many articles from people who see this as a 'problem' that needs to be 'fixed'.
“I’ve never seen black families out “enjoying the outdoors”.
Don’t see many (any) cross country skiing either.
No but the Texas State Parks are full of Mexicans all the time.
the national parks know this is so and has tried to encourage minorities to go camping more.
You want the real answer??
Yes, yes they do. Don’t believe me? Do ANYTHING that is considered “outdoor” recreation, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking... spend as much time as you like doing it, and keep a head count of nothing more than the racial makeup of those you run into ...
Unless you are in a urban park near a large Asian/Indian population center, you will not see a single minority remotely represented at levels they are in the general population.
You will see the overwhelming majority, are, for whatever reason, caucasian.
Anyone else gotten an LL Bean catalog in the mail lately? I like their Oxford shirts and have worn them for years. In the past 6 months or so, I’d say 1/3rd of the models in the catalog are now POC. It doesn’t get much more whitebread than LL Bean, but they are obviously jumping on the bandwagon.
Like virtually all of the previous posters, I’ve never seen a POC hunting during my 35+ seasons in the field, but I’m a northerner. A black friend of mine, who is originally from rural Mississippi, is an avid hunter and camper, because he was raised that way, just like I was. I’m guessing that down south, more blacks are county folks and thus are more likely to hunt and enjoy the outdoors.
Skin color aside, I know many people who are afraid of the woods, especially at night. I live in a heavily forested area with bear activity and many of my urban/suburban friends think I’m crazy. I just tell them that trees don’t mug people. They may drop a limb on you, but that’s just gravity, not malice. I can live with that.
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