Negative Response To Interracial Old Navy Ad Spurs Flood Of Support From Mixed Families
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Hundreds and hundreds of mixed, interracial families are rallying behind Old Navy after the retailer posted an ad that set off a barrage of negative comments. Here is the ad:
Oh, happy day! Our #ThankYouEvent is finally here. Take 30% off your entire purchase: https://t.co/nGQ9Pji1pN pic.twitter.com/vq4mIczm6A
— Old Navy Official (@OldNavy) April 29, 2016
It all started on Friday, when Old Navy posted this ad on Twitter. The sight of this white husband, black wife, and their interracial child outraged many who vowed to boycott the retailer for promoting 'genocide' of the white race. They posted a litany of negative comments. Here is a sampling:
@OldNavy Absolutely disgusting. What's next? Gender neutral bathrooms? Pedophilia acceptance propaganda?! Never shopping here again.
— M (@GonnaMAGA) April 30, 2016
@OldNavy Old Navy HATES White babies!
It takes a White mother and a White father to make a White baby.
Stop #WhiteGeocide— Mary Whittier (@marylovefreedom) April 29, 2016
Despite the negative reactions, Old Navy did not take down the ad, which spurred an even bigger reaction. Hundreds of mixed families began posting pictures of themselves, applauding the San Francisco-based retailer.
And so the hashtag #LoveWins was born. The photo of Old Navy's mixed family has been retweeted thousands of times since Friday alongside 100s of pictures of loving, smiling interracial families.
Even GOP Senator John McCain's son Jack posted a photo of himself and his wife Renee Swift McCain, who is black. Underneath, the Navy helicopter pilot wrote the message: "To the people upset about the #OldNavy "Scandal" of a picture of a mixed race marriage, eat it." His message has been retweeted and 'loved' thousands of times.
To the people upset about the #OldNavy "Scandal" of an a picture of a mixed race marriage, eat it. @Reneeitchka pic.twitter.com/yA5YwbZRcm
— Jack McCain (@McCainJack) May 2, 2016
Here are a few more Tweets from couples and families like the McCains...
.@OldNavy Props on this ad! My family and I appreciate it. #RepresentationMatters pic.twitter.com/ZXQ8YbT0QS
— Austin Null (@thenivenulls) May 2, 2016
@OldNavy thank u 4 this ad.I shared a pic of my bro(who serves his country overseas)and his beautiful family. pic.twitter.com/gOPKcgArVX
— julie king (@julieluvskrazy) May 2, 2016
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
@OldNavy from our family to yours, Thank You!!! Families like our will continue to succeed and grow in number! pic.twitter.com/stoTQT2q98
— TJ Willis (@MikesSunshyne) May 1, 2016
.@kharyp @OldNavy Thank You Old Navy! Interracial families are beautiful and we appreciate the representation! pic.twitter.com/kVNuGHfAB9
— Noelle Devoe (@Noelle_CD) May 2, 2016
Hey @OldNavy, my family and I thank you for the diversity in this ad! #LoveWins, no matter the color ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TjgYUPMGu4
— KHARY PENEBAKER (@kharyp) May 1, 2016
CBSSF.com writer, producer Jan Mabry is also executive producer and host of The Bronze Report. She lives in Northern California. Follow her on Twitter @janmabr.