

Ask "Free People Clothing" to Stop Using Religious Items & Genocide Survivors in their Ads


Ask "Free People Clothing" to Stop Using Religious Items & Genocide Survivors in their Ads
The Issue
Free People Clothing's (part of Urban Outfitters) latest catalog features the collection "Call of the Wild" collection which takes inspiration from a mood board featuring Native American sacred religious items and photos of survivors of the genocide faced by Native Americans by white settlers in the United States.
As the granddaughter of one of the Native men used in this ad campaign:
To me, this “wall of inspiration” hits too close to home. I see that wall of inspiration and it’s not just nameless Natives, although that shouldn’t matter, but I see my very own grandfather on that wall. My GRANDFATHER, and I can’t stand it. It’s too much. My grandfather worked SO HARD to try and help his people, to do whatever good he could for them in a truly trying time.
This is not how I want my grandfather remembered. Please help me. I’m not strong enough to do it on my own or to deal with the idea of him becoming some sort of “fashion icon” — only a picture that no one will notice it, or know what he has done. That’s what hurts me the most. The Trivialization.
Please sign this petition and add your voice to ours, asking Free People Clothing to acknowledge their use of Native American sacred objects, and photos of real genocide survivors as inappropriate, and asking them to take down the offending ads and issue a formal apology.
The Issue
Free People Clothing's (part of Urban Outfitters) latest catalog features the collection "Call of the Wild" collection which takes inspiration from a mood board featuring Native American sacred religious items and photos of survivors of the genocide faced by Native Americans by white settlers in the United States.
As the granddaughter of one of the Native men used in this ad campaign:
To me, this “wall of inspiration” hits too close to home. I see that wall of inspiration and it’s not just nameless Natives, although that shouldn’t matter, but I see my very own grandfather on that wall. My GRANDFATHER, and I can’t stand it. It’s too much. My grandfather worked SO HARD to try and help his people, to do whatever good he could for them in a truly trying time.
This is not how I want my grandfather remembered. Please help me. I’m not strong enough to do it on my own or to deal with the idea of him becoming some sort of “fashion icon” — only a picture that no one will notice it, or know what he has done. That’s what hurts me the most. The Trivialization.
Please sign this petition and add your voice to ours, asking Free People Clothing to acknowledge their use of Native American sacred objects, and photos of real genocide survivors as inappropriate, and asking them to take down the offending ads and issue a formal apology.
Petition Closed
Share this petition
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on June 19, 2011