***I hope this is a place we can discuss maturely...if there is any overt racism or this gets out of control I will remove your comment (If I can?? i don’t know this app very well) or I’ll delete the whole post. THE PURPOSE OF THIS POST IS TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING, HEAR OTHERS VIEWS, and COMMUNICATE. I hope learning takes place and we speak to one another respectfully!***

**I added the poll in case you’re afraid to comment...BUT PLEASE READ FIRST! **

This photo of a boy posing for an H&M; sweatshirt has caused some controversy. My first thought when I saw it was “how dare they...are they stupid!?.” And then I thought deeper and realized this is a case of white privilege.

If you don’t know what white privilege is let me educate you. I am white. I get to see commercials with beauty products with white people all over them and know ‘yes this product is for me.’ When I see a store clerk staring at me, I can think ‘what’s her deal’ and not think she’s staring at me because I’m black/another race. When two white people get into a fight, one may say, “the other guy was a jerk” but if he fought a black man, he may call him a racial slur.

Here’s why I think this ad depicts the white privilege I have. I call my son a monkey all the time because he’s squirmy and silly. My white friend had her white baby over and I called him a “puppy monkey baby” and she didn’t bat an eye, she laughed and agreed. He was crawling all over, trying to lay in the dog bed and is in fact a baby. Had I called my black friends’s baby this, it’s possible I may have offended her with no intentions of doing so. It is white privilege that we get to call our children whatever animal we want and giggle about it. It’s not fair that hate, anger and inequality is imbedded in a word. White people dont have to think twice about this...but non-white people do...and it’s because of those true racists out there that have created an environment of us versus them.

We should be able to call each other’s children, monkeys, puppies, silly gooses, etc etc, because we’re overwhelmed with how cute they are and we’re trying to show affection!!

How would you have felt if you saw this sweatshirt on a white kid? Would have it even crossed your mind? Prob not...that’s White privilege!!!

Other people may have different opinions...but I say how do WE as a younger generation take this word back (among others) from the racists before us who made this association!?!? There should be no power in this word! When I hear monkey, I think of the animal! I don’t want young black children to be ashamed or have the thought cross their mind if they hear the term monkey. I hope one day this is true.

I don’t know if H&M; was thinking this too...or they weren’t thinking at all. Because with no explanation I’m sure they hurt some people. This boys parents didn’t stop it, did they know something we didn’t? Did they say they didn’t want to give so much power to this word? Is it possible to reverse this associate to the the term “monkey” Or is it forever going to offend and hurt?

Feel free to disagree with me, but I wish this sweatshirt could be worn by all children and have it only be meant as a silly monkey.

Overall, To H&M; I think they were thoughtless to post this without explaining to us their intentions. If they were being racists...did they actually think they’d get away with it?!?!

I think breaking down racism starts small...teach your children love, and demonstrate it daily! 💚💛💙💜❤️

Love thy neighbor all!