The North Face is offering some customers a 20% discount if they take a one-hour course on racism.
The sportswear brand says: alliance in the outdoors The course in the UK aims to “educate individuals about the barriers people of color face outdoors” and describes access to the outdoors as “white privilege” “in this context”.
It also aims to “promote a deeper understanding of the unique challenges people of color face in accessing the outdoors,” according to the study.
News of the program, which launched in November, exploded on social media this week. report.
Shoppers who downloaded the digital course highlighted sections of the “module” that they found particularly annoying, such as an explanation of “white privilege.”
According to course experts, “In this particular context, we call it ‘white privilege,’ which is the exclusion of others due to historically deep-rooted racism and prejudice.” It means access to the outdoors is granted based on race or skin color when possible.”
“The North Face has always believed that the outdoors should be a welcoming, fair and safe place for everyone,” the retailer said in a statement to the Post. We aim to highlight the barriers to entry that prevent people from sharing equally valuable experiences in the outdoors.”
The company told the Post that the course is only available in the United Kingdom, where the initiative began.
The 58-year-old Colorado-based company, owned by VF Corp., which also owns Vans, Timberland and JansSport, was accused of being woken up and unable to be contacted.
One X user posted: “This is completely ridiculous,” while another user wrote to X: “This is completely ridiculous.” Had disappeared. ”
“I might just give the politically incorrect answer as a matter of course. Can I still get the coupon?” posted another X user.
Tony Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, a conservative British non-profit focused on cancel culture issues, told The Sun:
“After all, why would a black customer have to take a course on ‘white privilege’ to get a 20% discount?”
