Mother of Black Girl in Gap Advertisement Responds: ‘Everyone Needs to Calm Down’

The actress mother of the Black girl in the controversial Gap advertisement said “everyone needs to calm down.”

The mother, Brooke Smith, who has acted in Shonda Rhimes’s “Grey’s Anatomy”and plays Frances on Showtime’s “Ray Donavan” sees nothing wrong with the position of Fanny’s elbow atop Lucy’s head.

Why?

“They are sisters!” tweeted Smith on April 3 in response to Matthew Cherry’s posting. Smith and her husband, Stephen Lubensky adopted Lucy from Ethiopia in 2008.

they are sisters! https://t.co/eM1HjRqIdi

— Brooke Smith (@Iam_BrookeSmith) April 3, 2016

@TheRoot girl with arm resting on her shoulder is her sister She didn’t talk in video because she was 2 shy. everyone needs to calm down.

— Brooke Smith (@Iam_BrookeSmith) April 3, 2016

When asked by a fellow Twitter user if she understood the uproar, Smith said she did up to a certain point.

“Yes but at the same time I also think it’s a bit of a reach,” responded the 48-year-old actress. 

@rebel19 Yes but at the same time I also think it’s a bit of a reach.

— Brooke Smith (@Iam_BrookeSmith) April 5, 2016

When asked about her opinion on another controversial image that appeared on the Russian fashion website “Buro 24/7″—where a Black woman in an unflattering position is used as a chair while a White woman sits atop her—Smith vehemently dismissed the sculpture.

@slb79 @GapKids This picture was said to be published “completely out of context”. Is it art, @Iam_BrookeSmith? pic.twitter.com/vWm7JFApRV

— nightshade (@VeganWhileBlack) April 3, 2016

@VeganWhileBlack @slb79 @GapKids hell no it’s not!

— Brooke Smith (@Iam_BrookeSmith) April 3, 2016

Smith conceded that perhaps another photo should be used, since many were taken on the day of the shoot.

@therealpeela I totally hear you. This is one of many photos that was taken. Perhaps they should just use the others then.

— Brooke Smith (@Iam_BrookeSmith) April 3, 2016

Fashion label Gucci had it’s own controversy, when the Advertising Standards Authority of Britain banned Alessandro Michele’s Cruise 2016 Collection advertisement for irresponsible advertising .   

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