“Keep Calm And Rape A Lot”- Amazon, Are you serious?
Whatever avatar it takes, sexism is always irking and demeaning! It basically corrupts the mind and injects biased perspectives towards women. While feminists spontaneously try to break every barrier that bars women’s empowerment, sexists— by finding new forms to propagandize their nonsensical principles and wrong notions only create new battlegrounds for feminists to fight and shatter stereotypes. But one thing the sexists must realize: How ever hard you make it for them to confront, feminists won’t deter! Sexist apparel is just another avatar of sexism that demands and deserves a right kind of kick out. Clothes with sexist ideas have found place in the market! Yes, Sexism is being sold! Misogyny is merchandised! Let’s kick them out!
“Keep Calm And Rape A Lot” “Keep Calm And Knife Her” “Keep Calm And Hit Her” These are just few samples of the insensitive slogans on cloth merchandise. But people should be sensitive, sensible and smart enough to condemn these products.But still there are many other sites that sell such senseless commodities to monetize sexism. Many samples of T-Shirts carry reiterated slogans that pigeonhole women: “If a tree falls on a woman in the forest…then what is a forest doing in the kitchen?!” “I don’t know why you are speaking to me without a sandwich in your hand…” “…If you are female and reading this shirt you have already spent too long outside the kitchen…” “I’m lost, where’s the kitchen?” “Cool Story. Babe. Make Me A Sandwich!”
If you feel you can’t digest all these, better try to; because there are many more abusive ones to come. A girl’s tee which had these words became a controversy: “Training to be Batman’s Wife”. Can’t women be superheroes? Why should she be trained to be the wife of a superhero, instead of being one herself? Another girl’s shirt had this statement: “I’m too pretty to do homework so my brother has to do it for me”. As if girls have no brains and they are fit only to dress up and look smart!
If at all, you think this kind of sexist apparel trend exists only in the West, sorry to notify you that it is pretty much for sale in the Indian market as well.
It would really be progressive, if manufacturers and retailers give priority to their social responsibilities and stop merchandising these sinister apparels. To some people, all these may seem to have been blown out of proportion and there may be many more serious issues to be addressed than these shirts. To them, it may seem silly to condemn such petty things instead of having fun— A sexist joke is ‘just for laughs’ and a sexist shirt is ‘just for fun’ or ‘just for attention and attraction’. But it is definitely not ‘just’ as you think! Belittling women in any manner is always offensive. Guys, please don’t encourage such sexist apparels by purchasing them and propagandizing misogyny! Girls, they have sexist tees for you as well.Don’t demean yourself by affording and cladding them. Sexist shirt is not the right kind of fashion statement. It merely flaunts your insensitivity and insecurity. The choice is always yours! A sexist customer or a sensible citizen? It’s for you to decide!
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About the Author: This article is contributed by Gayathri Devi. Gayathri has completed her M.Phil. in English Literature from Tamilnadu. Literature instilled her in the thoughts of feminism. And gradually, she was attracted towards this concept and she says it has changed many of her perspectives towards our community & that is how she landed to Respect Women.
