The Washington Redskins, already under fire over their name's history as a racial slur, are now drawing criticism for an Instagram post chronicling their cheerleaders' outfits over the years. Among them is a caricature of an American Indian costume.
Fans balked at the ill-timed image on Instagram, wondering what the team was thinking when it posted the photo of past uniforms.
"Probably not the best pic to post right now. Do you really want to double down on that Indian imagery? #tonedeaf," wrote user djnva.
The Indian-styled outfits have not been in use since the '70s.
The team may be under more pressure than ever before to change its polarizing moniker, widely considered a racial slur, since the cancellation of six of their trademarks last week. One of those canceled by the U.S. Patent Office was "Redskinettes."
Team owner Dan Snyder has repeatedly said he won't change the team's name. "NEVER -- you can use caps," he told USA Today.
This wasn't the first time that the team's social media accounts have caused a stir. Last month, the Redskins urged its followers to tweet Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid their support using the hashtag #RedskinsPride. The move backfired when the hashtag became a rallying cry for critics of the team's name.
