Chet Hanks clarifies meaning of 'White Boy Summer' after release of hate speech report

Chet Hanks is speaking out after a viral catchphrase he coined has been adopted by extremist groups.

Hanks, who popularized the term “White Boy Summer,” issued a lengthy statement on his Instagram page Wednesday after a recent report from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) found the phrase has “escalated into a powerful global call-to-action for far-right recruitment, protest, and violence.”

“White boy summer was created to be fun, playful and a celebration of fly white boys who love beautiful queens of every race,” Hanks wrote.

Hanks has been publicly using the phrase “White Boy Summer” as early as 2021, even releasing a rap song by the same name. The term is most likely a play on the phrase “Hot Girl Summer,” which was popularized by rapper Megan Thee Stallion in her 2019 hit featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign.

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GPAHE, a social-justice nonprofit dedicated to “tackling systemic problems rooted in hate in our governments and societies,” stated in its Tuesday report 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 Identitarian movement in Europe and neo-Nazi Active Clubs are all using ‘White Boy Summer’ to spread propaganda, recruit new members and facilitate targeted hate campaigns including acts of vandalism and hate incidents,” GPAHE wrote.

Chet Hanks condemns use of ‘White Boy Summer’ for ‘hate or biogtry’

Hanks, son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, further clarified the meaning of “White Boy Summer” in his Instagram post.

While not addressing the GPAHE report directly, Hanks slammed the use of his catchphrase in any harmful rhetoric.

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“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,” Hanks wrote. “I hope that we all can spread love to each other and treat each other with kindness and dignity.”

Hanks recently used the phrase in a May 20 Instagram post, captioning a selfie with the hashtag #WBS.

Nonprofit behind ‘White Boy Summer’ report responds to Chet Hanks

In an update to its report Wednesday, GPAHE responded to Hanks’ Instagram statement on the meaning of “White Boy Summer.”

The organization maintained that the phrase has “been transformed into a rallying cry for white supremacist groups who are using it to spread propaganda, recruit members and incite violence against marginalized communities,” regardless of Hanks’ original intent.

“Chet Hanks posted that ‘White Boy Summer’ was never intended for hateful actions. But the fact remains that it has been co-opted by far-right extremists to promote hate and bigotry,” GPAHE wrote. “This underscores the profound social responsibility that public figures bear in their words and actions.

“The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism emphasizes the need for those with powerful platforms to remain vigilant against irresponsible statements that can be used for tools of hate and division.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chet Hanks speaks out on true meaning of 'White Boy Summer' phrase