Kanye West’s ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt at Paris Fashion Week

Controversial attention-seeking right-wing rapper Kanye West has once again made waves. Kanye hosted a surprise fashion show during Paris Fashion Week where he wore a t-shirt reading “White Lives Matter.” The American rapper made headlines recently after all ties were cut between his Yeezy sneaker line and GAP and Adidas.

The unannounced fashion show took place at a secret venue with some of the most high-profile designers in attendance. Top models wore Kanye’s new collection, called Yzyszn9. One shirt worn by models and also sported by Kanye himself was a long-sleeve t-shirt that had Pope John Paul II on the front with the words “White Lives Matter” printed in a large font on the back.

The shirt is an overt reference to the Black Lives Matter movement that has grown in the United States and abroad. The movement started in 2013 but rose to prominence in 2020 when white police officers knelt on the neck of George Floyd until he was dead while taking him into custody on the street in front of shocked onlookers.

Many people try to promote a more neutral “All Lives Matter” movement in response to Black Lives Matter. Opponents point out that this misguided effort at equality only makes things worse. By trying to paint society as having already achieved a point where everyone was truly equal, it negates the acknowledgement of systemic racism that still exist in the US and much of the world. Doug Williford famously explained:

“If a co-worker comes to me upset and says ‘my father just died,’ a response of ‘everyone’s parents die,’ would be truthful but also hurtful and cruel in the moment. So when a friend speaks up in a time of obvious pain and hurt and says ‘Black Lives Matter,’ a response of ‘All lLves Matter,’ is truthful. But it’s hurtful and cruel in the moment.”

While the “All Lives Matter” slogan may be used naively, shirts adorned with “White Lives Matter” seem intentionally antagonistic for shock value. American activist and academic Marc Lamont Hill responded to Kanye West’s shirt with repulsion.

“Kanye West’s decision to wear a ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why.”

Kanye has frequently been in the spotlight for erratic behaviour and beliefs as well as Twitter and Instagram meltdowns but has been moving to the fringe right with his support of Donald Trump. He visited the ex-president at the White House in 2018 and is frequently seen wearing Trump’s iconic red MAGA hat. He also opined in an interview with TMZ that African-American slavery in the US was a choice.

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