Teh One Who Knocks
03-24-2016, 12:14 PM
by Joey Stipek - KFOR Channel 4
Following social media backlash saying a Forever21 t-shirt displayed a pro-rape message, the clothing retailer apologized on Tuesday.
The plain white shirt read, “Don’t say maybe if you want to say no,” across the front in black text.
The shirt was being sold on forever21.com for $19.90.
Social media widely criticized the company for the sale of a shirt glorifying rape culture.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Forever21">@Forever21</a> clearly didn't have a PR person in the room when they decided to sell a shirt supporting rape culture. <a href="https://t.co/lmKqkM2MWb">pic.twitter.com/lmKqkM2MWb</a></p>— Erin (@E_Zaran) <a href="https://twitter.com/E_Zaran/status/709477795747893248">March 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BYE, BYE <a href="https://twitter.com/Forever21">@Forever21</a>. I don't purchase from stores that support rape culture. <a href="https://t.co/R0Yc3441PV">https://t.co/R0Yc3441PV</a></p>— Kat Lazo (@TheeKatsMeoww) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheeKatsMeoww/status/709806006696542208">March 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Forever 21 is selling a shirt that says “don’t say maybe if you want to say no.” How about “don’t do something if you don’t hear a yes.”</p>— Kristin Toussaint (@kristindakota) <a href="https://twitter.com/kristindakota/status/709435599384657920">March 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/forever21?src=hash">#forever21</a> tshirt blaming women for rape AIN'T OK & deserves all the hate it's getting <a href="https://t.co/lHzaGhv3Fb">https://t.co/lHzaGhv3Fb</a> <a href="https://t.co/yNvjhKonLB">pic.twitter.com/yNvjhKonLB</a></p>— sanya panwar (@SanyaHoon) <a href="https://twitter.com/SanyaHoon/status/709669409745272832">March 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The controversy isn’t the first time Forever21 has faced backlash over the messaging on the front of one of its t-shirts. The store received criticism in 2011 for a shirt with the wording, “Allergic to Algebra“ across the front.
Forever21 released a statement to Business Insider stating they have since removed the shirt from its online store.
“Forever 21 strives to exemplify the highest ethical standards and takes feedback and product concerns very seriously. With regards to the t-shirt in question, upon receiving feedback from our customers, we took immediate action to have it removed from our website. We sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by the product.”
Following social media backlash saying a Forever21 t-shirt displayed a pro-rape message, the clothing retailer apologized on Tuesday.
The plain white shirt read, “Don’t say maybe if you want to say no,” across the front in black text.
The shirt was being sold on forever21.com for $19.90.
Social media widely criticized the company for the sale of a shirt glorifying rape culture.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Forever21">@Forever21</a> clearly didn't have a PR person in the room when they decided to sell a shirt supporting rape culture. <a href="https://t.co/lmKqkM2MWb">pic.twitter.com/lmKqkM2MWb</a></p>— Erin (@E_Zaran) <a href="https://twitter.com/E_Zaran/status/709477795747893248">March 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BYE, BYE <a href="https://twitter.com/Forever21">@Forever21</a>. I don't purchase from stores that support rape culture. <a href="https://t.co/R0Yc3441PV">https://t.co/R0Yc3441PV</a></p>— Kat Lazo (@TheeKatsMeoww) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheeKatsMeoww/status/709806006696542208">March 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Forever 21 is selling a shirt that says “don’t say maybe if you want to say no.” How about “don’t do something if you don’t hear a yes.”</p>— Kristin Toussaint (@kristindakota) <a href="https://twitter.com/kristindakota/status/709435599384657920">March 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/forever21?src=hash">#forever21</a> tshirt blaming women for rape AIN'T OK & deserves all the hate it's getting <a href="https://t.co/lHzaGhv3Fb">https://t.co/lHzaGhv3Fb</a> <a href="https://t.co/yNvjhKonLB">pic.twitter.com/yNvjhKonLB</a></p>— sanya panwar (@SanyaHoon) <a href="https://twitter.com/SanyaHoon/status/709669409745272832">March 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The controversy isn’t the first time Forever21 has faced backlash over the messaging on the front of one of its t-shirts. The store received criticism in 2011 for a shirt with the wording, “Allergic to Algebra“ across the front.
Forever21 released a statement to Business Insider stating they have since removed the shirt from its online store.
“Forever 21 strives to exemplify the highest ethical standards and takes feedback and product concerns very seriously. With regards to the t-shirt in question, upon receiving feedback from our customers, we took immediate action to have it removed from our website. We sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by the product.”