The children’s furniture brand Pottery Barn Kids is receiving backlash after it featured transgender activist Jazz Jennings reading a book to children about a transgender child.
On Thursday, Pottery Barn Kids posted a video on its Instagram page of Jennings, 22, whose transition from male to female began at the age of 3, reading “I Am Jazz.” Jennings detailed his experience of having “a girl’s brain in a boy’s body.”
“She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn’t feel like herself in boys’ clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz’s story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers,” the book description reads.
However, the video was not well received by Instagram users, who slammed the brand for targeting children.
“Goodbye Pottery Barn. It was nice while it lasted,” one user wrote.
Another user asked, “What does this have to do with furniture and home decor?”
“Pulling another budlight (sic) lol Who (sic) in their right mind would read this to their kids ??” another user wrote.
Another user called the promotion, “disgusting.”
“I’ll go take my money elsewhere. Such a shame you had to go this route,” the user added.
One user told the home decor brand to enjoy its “stock tanking.”
“Leave kids alone!” another user wrote.
Another user accused Pottery Barn Kids of “confusing children more and more each day,” calling the marketing “sad.”
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This was not the first time this month — Pride Month — Pottery Barn Kids posted a controversial video in support of the LGBT community.
On June 3, the children’s brand posted a video of author Sophie Beer on its Instagram page. Beer was reading her book, “Love Makes a Family,” which celebrates same-sex parents.
“In this exuberant board book, many different families are shown in happy activity, from an early-morning wake-up to a kiss before bed. Whether a child has two moms, two dads, one parent, or one of each, this simple preschool read-aloud demonstrates that what’s most important in each family’s life is the love the family members share,” the book description reads.
