Recently, the front group FCKH8 has come into the news for releasing a controversial video of young girls denouncing gender inequality and violence. The promotion, as well as another clip that features kids in Ferguson, Missouri, apparently explaining racism to white people, was created with one purpose: to sell t-shirts. For a profit.
Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia. FCKH8 represents itself as altruistically fighting against these things, as if they’re not another company exploiting marginalized communities. What they are apparently not against is unnecessarily sexualizing lesbian relationships, exploiting and manipulating children, using art and other media without permission, hijacking social justice conversations, and using the murder of a black teen to sell T-shirts.
When challenged, FCKH8’s response has been, “Perhaps you’re looking for a problem where there is none,” and, “You didn’t get the joke,” essentially perpetuating the long history of gaslighting oppressed people, convincing them that they are either crazy or humorless. Nevertheless, FCKH8 is not a charity, and therefore does not have to answer to calls for transparency. At the end of the day, it’s just one more way to make a rich guy richer, and to help people move through the world without guilt or accountability.
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