Amazon removes "Hella Black Hella Proud" swimsuit worn by a white model
23 July 2019, 17:04
BIG YIKES...
Amazon have removed an item of clothing from their website with a pro-black slogan, which was modelled on a white woman. The black swimsuit was sold by ZBBRDD and sold for $9.90. And printed across it in bold white lettering were the words: "hella BLACK hella PROUD."
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The company had actually lazily used the same stock model for similar bathing suits with phrases like "Brazilians do it better", "black and proud" and "melanin poppin".
The swimsuit had just a one star rating and terrible reviews, with one reading: "First, let’s address the model in this picture, would it have been too hard to actually find someone who's actually 'Hella black and Hella proud!! And maybe from the Bay Area because that's where the term Hella originated. We just can't have anything as a culture huh?"
Twitter user @SeekersMgm then raised concerns about the issue in a tweet, which read: "Dear @amazon this is a misrepresentation of an African American woman please update your site with a model with the correct melonin, please and thank you."
Dear @amazon this is a misrepresentation of an African American woman please update your site with a model with the correct melonin, please and thank you @KamalaHarris @BarackObama @CoryBooker @50cent @tylerperry @alroker @fox5ny @CBS @NBCNews @SteveHarveyFM @NBCNews @CNN pic.twitter.com/7Fh6B0lb2p
— DreamSeekersTalentMgmt (@SeekersMgmt) July 19, 2019
The ad has now been removed and customers can no longer access the link. But, understandably, other people were just as pissed.
Make it make sense!? pic.twitter.com/JETiiBsMaa
— (;I'm Da ONE❤ (@AuthentIcALLy_K) July 21, 2019
First amazon with the white women wearing swimsuits that say “hella black, hella proud” now a white woman claiming she invented the satin bonnet?? Throw the internet and earth away! Over it! #bonnet
— ✮Shayla✮Williams✮ (@shayla_sunshine) July 23, 2019
Why would they think that this acceptable? pic.twitter.com/aiVtj0ywVL
— Tai Gardner (@TaiGardner10) July 22, 2019
Amazon is selling a “Hella black, hella proud” swimsuit with a white model.😒
— Jess 🍞🌹 (@MercurialMiss) July 22, 2019
WTF Amazon you couldn't find a African American women to model this? Really? Amazon obviously needs to hire more people of color in management
— Patrice Zneqo (@ZneqoPatrice) July 19, 2019