Gap Apologizes for Ad Called ‘Racist’ Because It Features a White Girl Leaning on a Black Girl

Gap actually apologized for an ad that people called racist because it features a white model leaning on a black model — and, apparently, that’s saying that all black girls “can do is bear the weight of White [sic] girls.”

Here are just a few of the Tweets expressing the outrage over the ad: 

https://twitter.com/soulzilla/status/716374318658285577

https://twitter.com/BangerzR8/status/716431716777332736

And here is Gap’s apology:

“As a brand with a proud 46 year history of championing diversity and inclusivity, we appreciate the conversation that has taken place and are sorry to anyone we’ve offended,” Gap spokeswoman Debbie Felix said in a statement to Fortune.

So . . . why did Gap apologize? Because someone was offended, of course! These days, whenever someone gets offended, it seems as though it’s just automatically expected that the offender will apologize, no matter how ridiculous the offended person or group’s actual complaint may be. And, usually, “offenders” fulfill that expectation — regardless of the reality of the situation. 

I understand that Gap’s apology was intended to make people feel better, but the fact that it said sorry is more of a cause for outrage than that ad itself. After all, apologizing for ridiculous complaints only prompts more. 

The ad features four girls from the traveling circus company Le Petit Cirque.