The high street brand H&M have been accused of 'contradicting' the male-suicide awareness campaign with a sweatshirt slogan that reads 'I am OK'. Ethan Bews, was shopping with his girlfriend in H&M when he was taken back by the slogan calling saying 'it's totally contradicting the campaign 'It's OK not to be OK'. He posted a picture of the Jumper on Facebook along with the comment: "I'm not really one for posting serious things on Facebook as you may all well know but i saw this today and it bugged me. It may just be me or maybe we are all reading way too much into things these days I don't know." "With the levels of male suicides through the roof and major campaigns been put in place to help us guys out such as 'Its OK not to be OK'. I really don't think H&M should be selling the below sweatshirt ('I am OK') in the male section of their store? "It's counteracting and contradicting the above campaign that's been put in place.#itsoknottobeok" He told LADbible: "We saw it in the store. Then it kinda just went from there as it bugged me really. I checked the tops and they weren't in the sale, so they are relatively new and there was no explanation on them behind the slogan, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't me overthinking it so that's why I posted it. "It's totally contradicting the campaign 'It's OK not to be OK' and may even be seen to some as mocking or sarcasm. It's another poor state of judgement by the company. For a company like H&M who spends god knows what on marketing its pretty disappointing." This topic is close to Ethan who said he'd known several people who'd taken their own lives following battles with their mental health. He said: "I have known far too many people who have taken their own lives - most of which are male. "We still live in a society that teaches kids from a young age that 'big boys don't cry' it's about changing that mentality and the amazing work that you matter, and the November campaigns do is being counteracted by inconsiderate things like this." Ethan also added though he has known people affected by mental health he didn't want to make the issue about him, but about the 'broader picture'. LADbible contacted H&M for a comment on the situation, a spokesperson said: "The wording on this garment does not make any intentional reference to a specific campaign or slogan." This comes after only months since H&M faced backlash for a little boy modelling a hoodie with the slogan 'Coolest Monkey in the Jungle' written across the front. The boy's parents did speak out on ITV's This Morning about the incident and were asked if they thought it was an overreaction, they said: "It is not an overreaction when it comes to racism, everyone should react differently based on their opinions of racism. Everybody should respect other people's opinions on racism."
Jumper clothing retail company H&M has been accused of being in opposition to the male-suicide awareness campaign due to its sweatshirt slogan. A consumer took to Facebook with a picture of the high-street brand's men's "I am OK" shirt, which it is claimed contradicts the "It's OK not to be OK" campaign about male suicide rates. H&M has stated that the wording on the product is not related to any specific campaign and no affiliation was intended.