GAP Pulls Ad After Critics Say African-American Girl Used As “Prop”

A new GapKids ad that is billed as 'girls can do anything' was pulled after critics said a black model was used as a prop. In the picture above, four girls are posed doing different things. In the center of the picture, one girl (who happens to be white) is resting her arm and head on the shorter girl (who happens to be black). Outrage came almost immediately after the company posted the image on social media over the weekend.

The company is now apologizing:

"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. This GapKids campaign highlights true stories of talented girls who are celebrating creative self-expression and sharing their messages of empowerment. We are replacing the image with a different shot from the campaign, which encourages girls (and boys) everywhere to be themselves and feel pride in what makes them unique."

The ad was part of a campaign that included a video with Ellen Degeneres: