Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli has sparked a furious online reaction after appearing in a “racist” ad for Israeli sportswear brand Hoodies.
The ad shows Refaeli initially wearing a niqab – the full head and face covering preferred by some Muslim women – alongside the caption “Iran is here?” in Hebrew. Refaeli then tears off the covering, while the slogan “freedom is basic” is stated on the backing track.
It’s short, nonsensical, and probably best just ignored, but the internet has, predictably, erupted, which is no doubt exactly what Hoodies was aiming for.
Some users called the model out for racism:
@BarRefaeli you’re disgusting n racist. freedom should be about wearing what makes you feel good and free. if you showed your belly that doesn’t mean you’re free. free your mind first n don’t forget you live in israel which has arab in it and that ain’t a good business strategy
— Odai Shams (@OdaiShms) October 29, 2018
Others accused her of Islamophobia:
A commercial launched by the Israeli super model @BarRefaeli pushing the Islamophopic narrative of the oppressed woman taking off her hijab and get liberated.
— Abed🐺 (@Abd_HajYahia) October 30, 2018
In my society women who wear a hijab are just as free as every other women. So U know where to push ur freedom propaganda pic.twitter.com/Gp2qhURCRs
A number of Muslim women pointed out that their decision to wear the niqab or hijab is a form of expressing freedom in itself:
and others called on brands like Cosmopolitan to drop the model:
Ad depicts @BarRefaeli taking off a niqab followed by lyrics "finally freedom". This is disgusting. Expecting companies like @Cosmopolitan & @giorgioarmani to drop her, unless y'all are cool with a brand ambassador spreading messages like this. pic.twitter.com/fkHpdojOAI
— Mαrωα 🥀 (@MarwaBalkar) October 30, 2018
There were, of course, some users who were fully behind the ad:
Good one. Please do not use this term "Islamophobia" when people try to shake off the shackles of oppression from religious rules
— Eugene Koshanof (@EKoshanof) November 1, 2018
Perhaps the last word should go to Jenna Naser, however, who noted on Refaeli’s Facebook, where she had shared the ad: “Respecting other woman's choices and not being RACIST is also ‘BASIC’.”
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