Terry Mango came to the public’s attention when earlier this month she took to social media to blast those who were criticizing H&M for putting her son in a green “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” hoodie.
On Monday, January 15, the Swedish mom returned to the public to clarify her stance via a television appearance she made as a guest on This Morning with Phillip and Holly.
In a more measured tone than she used while accusing critics of “crying wolf” in order to make an “unnecessary issue” out of the spread, Mrs. Mango is now acknowledging peoples’ right to be upset and admitting that she identifies with their anger. But although Mango’s words before the daytime show’s hosts reflect a shift from her feeling like dissenters need to “get over it,” to encouraging all to allow others their opinions on the topic, Terry Mango maintains that she didn’t, and today, still doesn’t necessarily see racial undertones to the shirt and the company stylists decision to shoot a photo of her son wearing it.
“It is not an overreaction when it comes to racism. Everybody should act differently based on their own opinions of what racism is. I know what racism is. I have been at the front. I have had racist remarks to me first hand. Even with the name monkey, I’ve been called a monkey before – on a cruise ship,” Mango responded when asked whether she truly believes people have taken the photo too far out of context. She even went so far as to recall having the same reaction to the incident on the cruise ship, that people are currently having towards her. But, even in being able to identify with becoming the target of derogatory language, Mango claims that at no point did it occur to her that the sweater could have been offensive.