In March, Forever 21 said it “strives to exemplify the highest ethical standards” after it pulled a shirt from its racks that many thought inappropriately weighed in on the topic of sexual consent.
Based on recent criticism around yet another shirt, the youth clothier may want to strive a little harder.
The company’s latest offering comes in the form of a T-shirt for boys as young as five years old that reads in all caps, “SORRY LADIES I ONLY DATE MODELS.” The lack of punctuation was not the only thing that sparked ire.
Most notably, Yahoo Style called out the brand for presenting young boys as “being chick-magnet, model-dating studs.” Other shirts that were deemed offensive included phrases like “Ladies Man,” [sic] “Chicks are all over me,” and “Hola Ladies” [sic].
Yahoo quoted University of Kentucky professor Christia Spears Brown, who expressed her disapproval of the T-shirts:
It sexualizes children at an age when they should not be sexualized. 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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Forever 21 pulled the questionable shirts from its website on Wednesday and issued the following statement to Yahoo Style:
Forever 21 takes feedback and product concerns very seriously. 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.
On a less offensive note, the retailer offers a T-shirt that reads, “I still live with my parents.” It’s funny because it’s true.
What do you think—is this another episode of overboard political correctness, or was Forever 21 right in removing the shirts? How would you advise the company if it were your client, PR Daily readers?
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