You could forgive Gap for thinking it’s in a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation. If it doesn’t occasionally include women in relatively traditional Muslim attire, it could be accused of ignoring the obvious diversity of modern society. But then when it does include relatively traditional Muslim attire, the company gets criticized for promoting what many see as a symbol of oppression. What’s a company to do? There literally is no way for a company like Gap to stay neutral on this topic.
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LINK: Gap back-to-school ‘hijab ad’ ignites social media (by Nadia Naffi for The Conversation)
In July, Gap launched its back to school advertising campaign featuring a group of children of colour from P.S. 153 in Harlem, New York, including a young girl wearing a hijab. The ad spurred positive media coverage for its celebratory inclusivity and a massive virulent debate on social media.
Many applauded Gap’s decision, which they perceived as empowering women and girls around the world. Some who wear hijabs or wore hijabs shared the struggles they faced to find comfortable clothing in middle and high school.
Hamida Ahmed, a well-known model and Miss Maine pageant winner, expressed her approval in a tweet.
Others were outraged by the picture of a young girl in a hijab. They brought up stereotypes about Islam, including child marriage, as well as highly publicized cases of honour killings….
What do you think?
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