OPINION: Offended by a scarf? Stop getting tangled up in your own moralising
by Jack Mendel
You don’t need to be an avid reader of Vogue to know what happened in the fashion world over the last week.
Major high-street retailer H&M was forced to issue a public apology after it put some stripes on a scarf, inspired by a Jewish prayer shawl: a tallit.
Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up
Everyone seems to be offended , all the time, at everything, so let’s not start having imaginary offence.
Offence is brought on by insult.
One can understand why it is tasteless when shops have products which mock or ridicule.
I have seen Stars of David with skulls and blood, tops with flashes akin to the Nazi SS, and that look like concentration camp pyjamas.
Generally, when people have complained, major retailers have apologised and removed the product, as it is offensive to some people.
But for this to be really offensive, someone has to find it so.
The few sensitive souls that did, and I mean very few, from trawling through Twitter, seem to be getting tangled up in their own moralising.
One said “Dear fashion. Please step off other people’s ritual items.”
Another said H&M were doing it because “being Jewy was so fleek”.
Whatever that means.
People were on the whole joking about the scarf, though. Some were even disappointed it had been removed.
H&M said “we are truly sorry if we have offended anyone”.
The reality is, cultural appropriation of practices and symbols is not off limits. It happens all the time, and if it didn’t, everyone would be walking around in grey T-shirts (providing it doesn’t offend anyone).
H&M say: ““Our intention was never to upset anyone”, which on the whole it didn’t. “Stripes is one of the trends for this season and we’ve been inspired by this”, which is good. Jewish practice is inspiring, even if it is for just a scarf.
Here are some of the responses Jewish News received:
And on Facebook:
You see, most think it was a positive thing.
A major clothes store adapted a piece of Jewish culture, tradition and ritual, and marketed it as fashionable.
I know I’d prefer that, to Nazi-chic.
If it’s offensive to inspire, then we live in a warped world.
H&M should have stuck to their guns. It was tasteful and respectful.
If they liked the patterns on a Tallit, and Jews on the whole didn’t mind it, then it’s totally theirs.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)