Chet Hanks on the True Meaning of the Phrase ‘White Boy Summer’

Chet Hanks is speaking out after a viral slogan he invented was adopted by extremist groups.

Hanks, who popularized the phrase “White Boy Summer,” posted a lengthy statement on his Instagram page Wednesday after a recent report from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) found that the phrase had “morphed 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 white boys who love beautiful queens of all races,” Hanks wrote.

Hanks has already publicly used the phrase “White Boy Summer” in 2021, and 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 with Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign.

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GPAHE, a social justice nonprofit dedicated to “addressing systemic issues rooted in hate in our governments and societies,” said in its Tuesday report that Hanks’ “White Boy Summer” has become a catchphrase for “white supremacists and neo-Nazis.”

“Several extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, White Lives Matter, the Identitarian movement in Europe, and active neo-Nazi clubs, all use White Boy Summer to spread propaganda, recruit new members, and facilitate targeted hate campaigns, including acts of vandalism and hate incidents,” GPAHE wrote.

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

Without directly addressing the GPAHE report, Hanks lambasted the use of his slogan in any harmful rhetoric.

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“Any other form of hateful propaganda or bigotry against a group of people is deplorable and I condemn it,” Hanks wrote. “I hope we can all love one another and treat one another with kindness and dignity.”

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

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

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

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

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