Gap backlash for White kid resting arm on top of Black kid
Gap apologizes and promises to change ad for Ellen DeGeneres' kids clothing line after it sparked a backlash for showing 'token' black girl as an arm rest for a white child
Gap shared pictures for the GapKids X ED campaign on Twitter
It immediately sparked a backlash from users who spotted the flaw
They blasted company for showing a black girl as a white girl's armrest
They also called Gap out for only using one 'token' child of color in the ad
Gap spokesman said they will replace the shot with a different one
A Gap Kids ad for Ellen DeGeneres' clothing line has sparked a social media backlash for having a racial undertone after presenting the only black girl in the campaign as an arm rest
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Gap Kids has apologized after an ad for Ellen DeGeneres' clothing line sparked a social media backlash for having a racial undertone.
The company shared pictures for the GapKids X ED campaign on Twitter on Saturday with the caption: 'Meet the kids who are proving girls can do anything.'
'We all have the power to empower one another,' is the tagline for the line – aimed to encourage young girls to 'follow their passions.'
But Twitter users immediately spotted the flaw in the four photographs posted on Gap's Twitter account – and called the company out on presenting the only black girl as a prop.
The company was blasted for only using one 'token' child of color – and presenting her as an arm rest for a white girl. The white girls, meanwhile, are shown doing gymnastics, DJing and using a telescope.
Fatima La'Juan Muse said: '@GapKids proving girls can do anything… unless she's Black. Then all she can do is bear the weight of White girls. #EpicFail.'
Muse added that the picture suggests there is lack of diversity in the boardroom at Gap as 'most people of color would have immediately recognized the error.'
'Thanks for perfectly illustrating what 'passive racism' looks like in mainstream media,' wrote Jessica Wow.
The line, a collaboration with Ellen DeGeneres, is aimed to encourage young girls to 'follow their passions'
Brooke Smith(Actress - Girl in the Pit in Silence of the Lambs and Grey's Anatomy Dr. Erica Hahn) Mother of both girls is tweeting about this...
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Brooke Smith
@Iam_BrookeSmith
@TheRoot girl with arm resting on her shoulder is her sister She didn't talk in video because she was 2 shy. everyone needs to calm down..
Update: The tall White girl and the Black girl are actually sisters. Mess.
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Further, it turns out the two girls in the controversial pose are adopted sisters. Their mother is actor Brooke Smith (Ray Donovan, Grey's Anatomy), who also went public on social media to provide some context.
