I didn’t like their Interview, but on some level I do understand the urge to make a cut, tell your side of the story. Especially if you feel no one listens or things get twisted. But I don’t understand this little jabs from both sides now. That’s trash reality tv level. The more the BRF engages with them, the more we will hear from H&M. I mean, they said their piece. With the bullying article there is now a new arena for them to be the victim. The BRF could have said, the issue was taken seriously and had been dealt with. The BRF could have also issued a second statement regarding racism. Everyone holds certain biases, and on top deviating from a white default is often not as welcomed in the European countries and the USA (on a general level, there are certainly many exceptions but they are not the majority. Cannot speak confident about other countries) Acknowledging that they might have unintentionally hurt Meghan (and even apologising for it) or realising that they, like every human soul on earth have to work to notice and address those biases wouldn’t have hurt. I mean, if I unintentionally step on someone’s foot, I apologise and don’t complain that I didn’t do it on purpose. It’s the right thing to do, even if the other person starts to make a big drama out of it. I apologise, try not to step on another foot straight away and that’s it. The BRF is probably at least as racist as we all are. They are also snobs. While I don’t think that racism was the core of the problem in this whole story, you will find things if you look closely enough. If she had a chip on her shoulder about it and the BRF not shutting down racism in the media I can totally see why she found racist behaviour with them after a while. She probably questioned everything under that lens.
There is also a big difference between racism as in very publicly dehumanising others and thinking slavery was great and racism in undertones. Denying structural racism for example. And classism hurts POC as a whole a bit more. They are more dominant in lower classes. Not by nature but because history gave them a big disadvantage. When your culture, traditions, looks, heritage was something to look down on, make fun off or got treated as a curiosity for generations it’s does something to people (on both sides).
The BRF could have spun this in their way. Not addressing their private family drama but putting their stance on an important social debate.
Instead they go back to obvious PR moves that just don’t cut it anymore. It’s pretty sad.