UK Professor and Yahoo Get "Chicks Are All Over Me" and "Sorry Ladies I Only Date Models" Shirts Pulled For Being "Harmful"
Yahoo – Retail chain Forever 21 may have quietly added children’s clothing to its collection of affordable women’s and menswear back in 2015. But we’re making noise right now about a few of the boys’ T-shirts we’ve noticed are being marketed — for boys as young as 5 — as part of the line. The offending shirts contain messages that present boys as being chick-magnet, model-dating studs.
“Hola ladies,” “Sorry ladies I only date models,” “Ladies man,” and “Chicks are all over me,” are among the problematic messages on the tees, available in sizes 5/6 through 13/14 for just $11 a piece on the retailer’s website.
Well they were available on the website — until Wednesday, that is, when the retailer pulled them in response to Yahoo Style’s criticism.
“Forever 21 takes feedback and product concerns very seriously,” noted a statement provided to Yahoo Style. “With regards to the T-shirts in question, after receiving feedback we have taken immediate action to have them removed from our website. We sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by the products.”
Indeed, just a day after the original version of this story was published (without comment from Forever 21, which has not immediately responded to a request), the shirts were no longer to be found — great news to both Yahoo Style and the other critics of the shirts.
“It is completely inappropriate for companies to sell those shirts to young boys,” University of Kentucky professor of psychology Christia Spears Brown, author of Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue: How to Raise Your Kids Free of Gender Stereotypes, told Yahoo Style. “Even I am pretty shocked by those, and little shocks me these days.”
“It sexualizes children at an age when they should not be sexualized,” Spears Brown continued. “It reinforces a harmful stereotype about boys that says their value and worth is dependent on how many girls or women they can ‘conquer.’ This has a ripple effect that can harm boys, both gay and straight, as well as girls. It indirectly says that girls are only for sexual attention and not for friendship. Anything that says that only models are worthy of attention is never positive for girls.”
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Has anyone ever been more proud of themselves than Yahoo is for shutting down these t-shirts? Honestly I thought they cured cancer or eradicated ZIKA from the level of excitement over banning some stupid store from selling “Hola Ladies” shirts. Like this was a massive victory and there was 100% an office party with a cake and sparkling beverages. I guess I’m just curious more than anything, what it’s like to wake up every morning and be so upset about something like 10 year old boys wearing funny t-shirts that you just have to make it your mission to get them banned and release reports on gender stereotypes? To be legitimately outraged about a kid wearing “Chicks Are All Over Me” to 4th grade science class and write an essay on harmful ripple effects for young girls. Sounds so tiring, being mad all the time. Do you seriously not see a 5 year old sucking his thumb wearing a shirt that says I Only Date Models and not instantly burst out laughing? What kind of human being doesn’t?
Anyway here are some alternatives to buy for the man in your life, at any age.
