Interracial couples fight racist backlash to Old Navy ad
It was supposed to be a simple announcement of a sale – 30 percent off your purchase at Old Navy.
But the photo of a couple – a white man and a black woman – in the ad spawned a full-blown race war on Twitter.
On one side: People offended by the sight of an interracial couple.
On the other: People angry at the people who were offended at the sight of an interracial couple.
Here’s the ad that started it all.
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
The angry folks were some of the first to comment on Twitter. Some even threatened to boycott the store because of the ad.
@OldNavy Absolutely disgusting. What's next? Gender neutral bathrooms? Pedophilia acceptance propaganda?! Never shopping here again.
— M (@RousetheMasses) April 30, 2016
Old Navy supports the GENOCIDE of the White race!It takes a White mother and a White father to make a White baby https://t.co/VDUrTle6Tp
— Mary Whittier (@marylovefreedom) April 29, 2016
Open Borders + Forced Integration + Multiracial everything 24/7 + Mixed future for WHITES = #WhiteGenocide. @OldNavy pic.twitter.com/oLoRA1u6wT
— Ann Kelly (@LadyAodh) May 1, 2016
Others used a word that is rarely used anymore, “miscegenation,” which refers to the mixing of races through marriage or sexual relations.
My family and I will never step into an @OldNavy store again. This miscegenation junk is rammed down our throats from every direction.
— Cultural Combat (@CulturalCombat) April 29, 2016
The negative comments unleashed a flood of support for the ad, prompting dozens of interracial couples to tweet photos of themselves.
Some used hashtags like #LoveIsBlind and #LoveWins.
@OldNavy #lovewins always ❤️❤️ thank you for such awesome representation!!! We appreciate it. pic.twitter.com/CmAPZR5wl3
— lana (@lanadelsmith_) May 2, 2016
@StacyLeMelle @merstew @kharyp @OldNavy my daughters and I salute Old Navy! pic.twitter.com/b7FPfCfS1k
— Leftfielder™ (@DaleMoss2) May 2, 2016
@kharyp @OldNavy We're American Black, Russian-German, Filipino & my son is half Native American & Louisiana Creole- pic.twitter.com/xJqvJ0yCCC
— Stacy Parker LeMelle (@StacyLeMelle) May 2, 2016
To everyone who's hating on @OldNavy, here's another interracial couple! #layitonus pic.twitter.com/OnMl8FoVl7
— Katie (@katieetakeuchi) May 2, 2016
I love @OldNavy new pictures. The racists can go to hell. pic.twitter.com/ayMTtQcQgC
— Wendy Garcia (@IntoRainbowz) 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
@OldNavy Beautiful ad! #loveisblind pic.twitter.com/qAAYRyZIBd
— Story (@spunstory) May 2, 2016
@OldNavy Always nice to see representation of a family that looks somewhat like ours.We'll forgive the dude. Thanks! pic.twitter.com/zRaQ3DypD7
— Brienne of Snarth☔️ (@femme_esq) May 1, 2016
Messages of support for Old Navy, which has not commented on the backlash, far outweighed the detractors.
@OldNavy I love this. I'm going to buy MORE of your clothes now. #lovewins
— Melissa Kreil (@whatthemelmel) May 2, 2016
@OldNavy Stand tall, Old Navy. I might swing by and pick up some flippy flops to applaud you for being bold. Love has no color. #beautiful
— Brad Booker (@bradbooker) May 2, 2016
@OldNavy thank you for being progressive in your representation of a modern day family.
— Jenna Stone (@thejennastone) May 2, 2016
Even the model featured in the ad, Grace Mahary, weighed in on Instagram.
“In light of the controversy revolving around my pretend family... I am proud to be representing interracial love, multiculturalism, and most importantly, a mentality that supports opportunity for all ethnicities.”
This story originally appeared on KansasCity.com.
This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 11:10 PM with the headline "Interracial couples fight racist backlash to Old Navy ad."