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This Old Navy Ad Started a Firestorm on Twitter

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Old Navy tweeted an ad Friday that featured an interracial family of three and got bombarded by racist tweets, which inspired a counter-protest of tweets praising the brand for its inclusiveness.

Many of the tweets defending the brand included the hashtag “#LoveWins,” which previously trended on Twitter after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered states to recognize same-sex marriage.

The woman in the ad, Grace Mahary, thanked supporters on Instagram: “In light of the controversy revolving around my pretend family… I am proud to be representing interracial love, multiculturalism, and most importantly, a mentality that supports opportunity for all ethnicities. Thanks @oldnavy 🙆🏾 #lovewins #hatefreezone.”

The original Old Navy tweet has racked up more than 4,300 retweets and 10,000 “likes” amid the controversy.

In 2013, a Cheerios commercial featuring an interracial couple and their biracial daughter sparked so many bigoted comments that General Mills had to disable comments on YouTube.

 

 

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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com