After social media combusted into a firestorm when pictures of H&M modeling a black child in an obscenely racist hoodie, many public figures like The Weeknd and Diddy voiced their displeasure with the clothing store and support for the young model. Yet, it was when part-time panther, Rachel Dolezal, offered to “help” that things got a little sticky.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Dolezal announced that in an act of “protest,” she would be selling hoodies that resemble the one worn by the H&M model, but instead of calling the child a “monkey,” the hoodie would bear the words “The Coolest Prince in the Hood.” And like almost everything associated with Dolezal, the hoodie was instantly met with criticism for its potentially problematic message.
“Don’t you think hood sounds almost as bad,” a follower commented on her post. “From what I’ve seen and heard when people talk about the hood they are talking about a bad area maybe something a little cheerful like block or town.”
Dolezal, however, claims the message of the hoodie goes deeper than the surface stating in the post’s caption that she “had to” make these hoodies, detailing she had to go to her son’s elementary school principal after he was called “a ‘monkey’ in second grade,” leading to her homeschooling him.
Although this story of persevering black plight is incredible, by informing critics that the profits of her hoodies will go directly to “the 3 coolest princes in my household (her) 3 black sons,” she showed that not only is she Instagramming the revolution, she’s also an uplifting philanthropist.
“What results do you expect this to get that will benefit the greater community and not just your pockets!?!,” One of Dolezal’s follower’s questions. “The timing and the verbiage on your hoodie seems no less offensive than what H&M did. It don’t sit well with me.”
Ever since confessing her true racial identity, many have accused Dolezal of manipulating race for personal gain, claims that her hoodies only add to. By detailing where the proceeds will go combined with her not being able to properly empathize, proves to the world what many minorities already knew; that you can’t choose when to be oppressed. Being black a full-time job, one with little societal benefits and no paid-time-off.