GapKids x ED is a collaboration between Gap and Ellen DeGeneres aimed at encouraging young girls to embrace their individuality and talents. The campaign was doing well until the new photo for the campaign struck many people as being racist as the only black girl represented is seen being used as an arm rest while other girls around her are free to express themselves.
Below are some varying responses to the campaign using the hashtag #gapad. Gap has recently pulled the ad and apologized for their lack of awareness.
Huffington Post poses the question based on responses why this ad is complicated when it comes to racism:
Offensive? Or just tone-deaf? Why backlash to this "racist' #GapAd is complicated https://t.co/mmlfFHPbi9
— HP LatinoVoices (@LatinoVoices) April 5, 2016
Here, the user say the ad is racist because the issue of racism is a sensitive one and still carries a weight others don’t have to face every day:
lesson of the day. What's a long time ago for you may not be so long ago for someone else #gapad #GapKidsxED #GapKids # GapRacist
— DivineMiyogi (@AngieGerz) April 7, 2016
The next three tweets claim the ad is not racist and even compare it to an ad that ran last year with a similar pose, but the race of the two girls are switched:
Just reminding everyone that this existed before… We should talk about REAL racism, not this. #GapKidsxED #gapad pic.twitter.com/NXoBzbGBLF
— Winnie Wu (@wudiemeng) April 6, 2016
//
If that #GapAd is racist, I give up on life. The perfect example of making something out of NOTHING.
— Nicole (@nicolefonz) April 6, 2016
//
So one is ok and one isn't #gapad ppl really sensitive pic.twitter.com/mv8lD9aB98
— Winnie Mosa Dixon (@HistoryofSALMON) April 5, 2016
This user takes a different approach by lamenting that the two ads have a similar message until their intent is twisted (she mentions this in another tweet):
One says power
One says oppression
Breaks my heart #GAPad https://t.co/m2KfzeSGF1— MsMyyah (@Msmyyah) April 5, 2016
Last, some tweets were making light of the situation and instead of blasting other people for considering it racist they “fixed” the problem with photo editing:
#GapAd #whowasintheroom #fixedthatforya pic.twitter.com/yT6wDW6Zds
— Planet DMA (@planetdma) April 5, 2016