by
Elle D.
ASOS Marketplace features several independent fashion and vintage boutiques, which customers can access direct from the ASOS site. There are over 1000 boutiques in the marketplace. But one boutique, “It’s a Hoodrat Thing,” began catching heat earlier this week when Twitter user “sweet cee” shared a screen shot of their page, which quickly went viral.
Many users criticized the boutique for their use of the word “hoodrat,” which is a derogatory term used to portray black women as uncultured, immoral and unsanitary. It’s confusing that a brand mainly featuring white women with a shop full of festival garb would use such an ugly word for profit and to seem cool.
After calls for an explanation erupted, the brand issued this “apology” via social media. In it they claim that “hoodrat” is a derogatory term that is specific to gender, not race.
“Hoodrat is a derogatory term for women, not race! And that’s why we chose it for our name. Our brand is all about the importance of Girl power! Screw the name calling, Hoodrat, Hoe, Slut or Bitch…etc. which we have all been on the receiving end of at one time!”
They go on to describe themselves as “awkward… white girls who love 90s style and dancing to hiphop” and state that “supporting one another and making the most out of life is all we want to do!!”
I’m not sure about you all, but I’m not buying it. Many were definitely under the impression that hoodrat stems from “the hood,” neighborhoods that are often predominantly black. I’d also bet that most have never heard a white woman called “hoodrat” as an insult.
We see this cycle again and again, where non-black people attempt to use black people for profit, then take on a “we are the world approach” when confronted and basically ignoring concerns.
Again, several social media users criticized the brand for their apology, but it seems as if their complaints fell on deaf ears. Shortly after issuing the false apology, their Twitter disappeared, as well as their ASOS marketplace site. It seems that ASOS Marketplace themselves removed the page after people brought it to their attention.
https://twitter.com/ASOSMarketplace/status/809722278707597312
I’m glad they addressed the issue quickly, and hopefully they’ll use more discretion regarding sellers on their site in the future.
7 Responses
That is such a non-apology
Two white people that claim to love hip-hop but abysmally ignorant about the culture. What’s new?
I’m not offended by them or their company. I believe their products accurately reflected their description/backstory. (from what I can see in this article,I have done no research on them,)
According to the wictionary the term “hoodrat” is defined as follows.
hood rat ?(plural hood rats)
(slang) Someone who has sex with everyone in the “hood” or neighborhood; the term is linked to the culture of the American ghettos and to hip-hop culture.
I know with everything going on in the world regarding race,and that we as black people are somewhat lost when it comes to our culture so we struggle to fight for and hold on to the little that we know about ourselves. However,everything isn’t a cause to stand up for. I don’t personally relate to the word or their clothes.. So why make this company go viral (Even in a negative way)? Because of what they named the company? Because they didn’t use black models? Let’s be real… I know myself,nor any of the other black women I know/ deal with would even be interested in this attire.
If nothing else this is just another example of how much power we have as a people.. What if instead of making what we deem “negative” go viral, how about shouting out black owned businesses? Focus on building up our communities,etc? Make some positive things go viral.. I’m just saying.. God knows we need it!
Black people as a whole aren’t lost. You may be lost, though.
Either you’re not really black or you consider yourself “the good kind” of black person so you’re not concerned with white folk disrespecting and co-opting the style of the “bad kind.”
We can and do make both positive things go viral, while still making time to take down what needs to be taken down.
They knew what they were doing and tried to hide it under the guise of feminism. Unfortunately, I see this all too often and I kind of understand why black men make horrible comments about feminism. Neither sect really understand the word or the movement.
Ludicrous! Good rat is a “black term” they knew that come on. I’m glad they took ASOS boutique down. Geez! Reallllly?