H&M removes school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualized children

CANBERRA: Clothing brand H&M apologised for and removed a school uniform advertisement in Australia after social media users complained that it sexualised children, reported CNN.

"We have removed this ad," the Sweden-headquartered clothing giant was quoted as saying in the CNN report. "We are deeply sorry for the offense this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward."

The original ad which was removed, reportedly featured two elementary schoolgirls dressed in school uniform, with the slogan "Make those heads turn in H&M's Back to School fashion."

Some social media users called it "creepy", while some termed it "disturbing," and a section of people recalled their own stories about "being ogled" while still at school, the CNN news report said.

Australian writer Melinda Tankard Reist, who says her work addresses sexualization and the harms of pornography, was among the first on social media to oppose the ad.

"Little schoolgirls generally don't want to 'turn heads.' The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance," she posted on X, as per the news report.