Chet Hanks is taking “white boy summer” back from hateful hearts. The son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson meant no harm when he coined the phrase in the summer of 2021. He can’t ignore, however, recent reports that the phrase has been co-opted by hate groups.
When Chet Hanks first started using the phrase “white boy summer,” he was making a play on Megan Thee Stallion’s “hot girl summer.” However, a recent report by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) found a not-so-hot trend. They found that the phrase and corresponding song were popular among white supremacist and white nationalist hate groups.
The New York Times reported on the trend, calling “white boy summer” a “hateful meme.” The report indicated that the phrase is being printed on flags used in protests and has become popular on Telegram, where there are a number of extremist group chats available.
Chet Reminds the Internet He and the Phrase Stand for Love
As more conversations came up about far-right personalities taking a liking to the phrase, Chet felt compelled to speak out. In a statement shared on Instagram Wednesday, he condemned the wrongful use of his phrase.
White boy summer was created to be fun, playful, and a celebration of fly white boys who love beautiful queens of every race. Anything else that it has been twisted into to support any kind of hate or bigotry against any group of people is deplorable and I condemn it.
Chet Hanks/Instagram
The move is significant for Chet, who has been accused of playing a character or culturally appropriating his way of speaking and personality. Being the child of a prominent and successful actor and a talented actress/musician, many felt it was disingenuous.
Since then, he’s tried to assure people that he’s being true to himself. Some believe that it’s not a gag or to offend anyone, while others disagree. Although opinions are split on Chet, he seems to be trying to be a decent public figure. Seeing him take a definitive stand against hate is a good step and one he can be proud of.
