Chet Hanks is speaking out after a popular catchphrase he coined was adopted by extremist groups.
Hanks, who popularized the term “White Boy Summer,” published a lengthy statement on his Instagram page on Wednesday after a recent report by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) noted the term has “escalated into a powerful global call to action for far-right recruitment, protest and violence.”
“White Boy Summer was created to celebrate cool white boys who are fun, playful and love beautiful queens of all races,” Hanks wrote.
Hanks has been publicly using the phrase “white boy summer” since the beginning of 2021, and has even released a rap song of the same name. The term is likely a play on the phrase “hot girl summer,” popularized by rapper Megan Thee Stallion in her 2019 hit featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign.
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GPAHE, a social justice nonprofit that aims to “address structural issues rooted in hate in government and society,” said in a report Tuesday that Hanks' “White Boy Summer” has become a slogan for “white supremacists and neo-Nazis.”
“Several extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, White Lives Matter, the European Identitarian Movement and the Neo-Nazi Active Club, have all used 'White Boy Summer' to spread propaganda, recruit new members and promote targeted hate campaigns, including acts of vandalism and hate incidents,” GPAHE wrote.
Chet Hanks denounces use of 'White Boy Summer' to promote 'hate and bigotry'
Hanks, the son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, further explained the meaning of “White Boy Summer” in his Instagram post.
While Hanks did not directly address the GPAHE report, he strongly condemned the use of his catchphrase in harmful language.
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“That it has been twisted to support hatred and bigotry against any group is deplorable and I condemn it,” Hanks wrote. “I hope that we can all spread love and treat one another with kindness and dignity.”
Hanks recently used the phrase in a May 20 Instagram post, sharing a selfie with the hashtag “#WBS.”
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In its latest report on Wednesday, GPAHE responded to Hanks' Instagram comments about the meaning of “White Boy Summer.”
The group argued that regardless of Hanks' original intentions, the phrase has been “transformed into a slogan by white supremacist groups and used to spread propaganda, recruit members and incite violence against marginalized communities.”
“Chet Hanks posted that 'White Boy Summer' was not intended as a hateful act, but the fact remains that it has been used by far-right extremists to promote hatred and bigotry,” GPAHE wrote. “This highlights the great social responsibility that public figures bear in their words and actions.”
“The Global Project Against Hatred and Extremism underscores the need for those with powerful platforms to remain vigilant against irresponsible statements that could be used as tools of hatred and division.”
