I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. So seeing this is extremely disappointing. ok so Hot Topic just dropped a Harry Potter themed clothing line just in time for back to school and these are shots from the catalog. Ok so there’s one black male model in the entire group… and they put him in a prison uniform 🤦🏾♂️. Like seriously? There was not one person on the team- not a photographer, not someone in marketing, not a web designer, not an executive that said- we should probably reconsider what we put him in – especially with the historical climate of the places where we are marketing these items (whether that be in the United States or Europe). This is not an effort to galvanize “fake outrage” but us issuing challenges of accountability- we must demand better of people- and while I may not shop at hot topic- someone does- and those people- no matter their color should hold them accountable. As should, JK Rowling- someone who has been very conscious and vocal in the past as it relates to injustice- I don’t think she would be ok with this ad this way. (Shout Out Black Hermione)!
Whether bias is explicit or implied, whether it is something that simply appears problematic or is intentionally problematic- we should not hesitate to call it out and we should not apologize for how we demand it be fixed. Also – Hot Topic- hire some black people. If you need some black millennial consultants we know some. Cause this ain’t it.
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