H and M and the small boy modelling.

Don't forget that this advertisement needs to be viewed in the context of the comments made by several Americans in public office who referred to Michelle Obama as an "ape in heels" or similar disgusting and abhorrent slurs. In some parts of the USA this sort of racial vilification is not uncommon.

While we may all have referred to our own little ones as "little monkeys" at times there is a vast difference between a private reference and a public advertisement. At the very least I think that the advertisement was grossly insensitive and very badly misjudged.

Well, now I know that if I want to buy a ‘little monkey’ top for my grandson, H&M is the place to go ... and here was me not even knowing that H&M sold kids’ clothes. Those advertising people know how to get our attention. Inviting outrage is like adding lots of chilliest to a dish -people may not like the result, but they’ll certainly remember it!

Tegan2, in my experience children just don't notice what colour the other children are. My grandchildren go to a school where there are children of all religions and colour and there just doesn't seem to be a problem.

Eloethan hear hear.

That Mum doesn't mind but other Mums of mixed-race children might be more sensitive about it. I think it was a tad ill-judged by H&M.

my old boss had 3 little children i always struggled with there names .so at xmas always sent a few little presents on gift card i always put to the 3 little monkeys, because they were a bit of a handful it was a joke ,there parents quite often said what little monkeys they had been

Bloody stupid slogan anyway IMO.

Part of me feels that its refreshing and a sign of progress that a little black boy can wear a monkey logo top and no one thinks anything of it or takes offence, it's how it should be. But part of me agrees that it may well be a callous advertising ploy which is really sad.

I had not heard about the football fan unpleasantness until yesterday.

I have always thought that what’s racist is to treat people differently because of their skin colour. That would make the football chants racist but it doesn’t make the hoody on a black boy racist.

I believe that without the appalling racist football chants we probably would accept the 'cheeky wee monkey' type comments quite readily.
However we have to acknowledge the nastiness of those supporters and can't 'unhear' them unfortunately.

It seems to me to be fairly naive of people to suggest that the decision to use a monkey analogy is completely without racial connotations. I'm sure many people will recall that black football players were regularly greeted by so-called football fans with monkey noises and were sometimes thrown bananas.

I accept that it is possible to quite innocently call a child "you little monkey", meaning cheeky, mischievous, etc. In fact, I think when my children were younger I used that term myself. However, given that such a description is used to demean black people, a company should really have had more sense and sensitivity.

I agree with MaisieD and Tegan He is just a little boy and should not have been put in this position. H & M must have known full well that it would cause controversy.
I suppose we must have child models but it is not something I would want for my grandchildren.

I think it's naïve to believe that, if a black child went to school wearing that top, nasty comments wouldn't be made. Just because something 'shouldn't' happen doesn't mean that it 'won't'. I'm thinking back to the time when someone I know lost his mother at the age of 12 and suffered years of verbal abuse from his peer group [also the fact that he had a slightly embarrassing surname]. Little girls can be cruel but little boys can be equally so. My first thought was that H&M did it for the publicity.

I'm not in the least bit outraged by it. I just think that some can be very cruel, ignorant and racist and it's best not to put a child in a position to become their target.

It is the people with the nasty twisted minds that have caused the "uproar" . I often call my DGS "little monkey". can't see a problem with it myself and if the boys mother is saying "get over it" I think we should trust her judgement. Some people just want to find things to be "outraged" about.

From the OP:
"Interestingly the boy's mother has posted a comment to the effect that she is not in the least annoyed and people should 'Get over it'."
Good for her !

The latest report I can see is 2016 [Neymar]. I think the situation in Europe is only improving because the football authorities have cracked down on it.

Its seems too coincidental that dove had the controversial advert recently. Nobody would do it accidentally, I'm sure. Its a marketing ploy.

I always call my GS Monkey Boy but would I if he wasn't white ............? I think the situation in Italy is better than it was because most of the teams are relying very heavily on brilliant coloured players.

So, it's fine if you put it on a white child....

...we are going back a couple of years but he says football grounds have been closed down because of these taunts when British black players are playing. Usually in Spain or Italy...

I think these monkey chants still happen a lot at football matches....I'm thinking Spain here [just going to ask the S.O.]

Maninly because they can be very like little monkeys indeed. Could it have anything to do with our primate similarities, I wonder?

Bet the objectors wouldn't mind that hoody on a white child. Kids are often called little monkeys.

Agreed, Maizie. It's a sad old world.