You know, I was really hoping to focus on something other than anti-women t-shirts this week and blog on a topic which might hopefully maintain the interest of the 13,000 people who visited this site in the past four days in response to global coverage of objectifying items of apparel.
But just as I was tossing around a few ideas for the next post, a young woman sent me photos of these t-shirts (thanks Jackie) which she found in a Supre store in Sydney’s CBD.
Now some of you will know that this isn’t the first time the pimps-r-us clothing store has come to the attention of this blog (Treating little girls as ho ho ho’s). As a result of a raft of complaints over its “Santa’s Bitch” and “North Pole Dancer” t-shirts, Supre’s Karen Hermann told us, in writing, that “Santa’s Bitch” would be removed. But Supre was playing fast and lose with the truth (Update: Looks like Supre was serving up untruths for Christmas).
And now they are flogging this “Pussy Power” tee for $7.50.
Supre, why would you use a porn inspired title for women’s genitals as the slogan for girl’s clothing? Will a 10,11 or 12-year-old girl, perhaps drawn to the image of the little black cat, understand how wearing such a shirt could be interpreted; the message it could send in a culture which already treats young girls as hot and sexy mini women?
Why would you put her at risk like this? And don’t tell us you had in mind soft cuddly kittens.
This isn’t a store where adults get their clothes. It’s a cheapie chain frequented by flocks of young girls who should be allowed to enjoy their few short years of girlhood without being targeted as walking billboards for pornified messages about who girls are and what they are good for.
This is what Jackie thought of Supre:
Flood Karen Hermann’s inbox.
Now in its second printing!
January 24th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Dear posters. Please note that in my welcome message at the top of this site I say that offensive and abusive comments will be removed. I allowed a lot of leeway on this in the posts on the Roger David and other objectifying men’s t.shirts. I probably allowed too much leeway given some of the nasty posts which began to appear. I only started blogging before Christmas and am still working all this out. I hadn’t wanted to appear too heavy-handed. I also thought some of the aggressive, insulting and insensitive comments actually served to prove my point about what women face and are up against.
I want my site to be a safe place for women to come and not feel threatened. I have seen so many forums taken over by men (mainly) who abuse women who disagree with them. I will not host or be a conduit for this kind of abuse. So please don’t waste your time if that’s the kind of comment you want to post.
Thanks.
January 24th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Melinda -
Thank you for bringing attention to this company and the disgusting shirts they sell. I also manufacture t-shirts for girls, but with a VASTLY different message. What will it take for our society, for our current generation of parents to rise up and say this type of product and marketing is unacceptable for our children?
We need to protect the right for children to have a childhood. Our girls need to be allowed to just be….girls.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Incredible. Reminds me of a shirt a friend of mine bought from Myer in grade 8 that had a picture of a dog on it and said, ‘I wanna bone’. She was 13 and bought it in complete innocence because she thought it was ‘cute’. Boy did the men do double takes when she wore it.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:35 am
where will it stop?
how can this be seen as a positive thing for anyone except the porn industry?
January 25th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Well here is my letter, i doubt they’ll respond though.
Hi Karen,
Before Christmas I emailed you about the Santa’s Bitch shirts at Supre. You said they would be withdrawn and then they were seen by myself and others on sale for $5 after Christmas. Why did you lie about this?
Further, you now have shirts that have the words “Pussy Power” on the front. Can you remind me how old your customers are again? Why do you want to dress your young customers up in these slogans? The young girls may not recognise the pornographic/sexualised meaning of these words, but many who see them wearing it will. Are you bothered that this shirt could make them a target for sexual harrassment? What is wrong with your designers that they would think this a good shirt for young girls? Supre clearly see their customers as a walking joke. They’re kids Karen, not adults.
I look forward to your response.
January 25th, 2010 at 2:14 am
They have the same in the US. Truly despicable that people market these towards children and worse, anyone who would think these are appropriate? I mean, what is wrong with their thinking! Someone say boycott!
January 25th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by MelTankardReist: ‘Pussy Power’ t.shirts: Why Does Supre Treat Little Girls This Way? http://bit.ly/7CZme7 #sexualisation #supre #objectification…
January 25th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Yes, I can just imagine a little 11 year old girl walking around innocently in this shirt, while (some) grown men, who would not have otherwise looked twice, gawk with excitement.
Is Supre seriously encouraging paedophilia? Why are they putting pornographic messages on little girls’ shirts?
And thank you Melinda for highlighting the aspect of danger – no doubt some paedophiles/sex offenders may see this as ‘permission’ ‘consent’ or ‘justification’ for molesting a child – thinking to themselves that she was ‘up for it’ because she was clearly advertising a desire for sex
Supre should be ashamed. Their reiteration of sexual messages attached to prepubescent girls is harmful and endorsing child sex offending.
January 25th, 2010 at 10:11 am
This is just crazy – it’s a term many young girls wouldn’t really understand the full meaning. You are right – so need to protect our girls from sending these messages by wearing these T’s
January 29th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
This is OUTRAGEOUS!
My big question is what type of parent would buy this for their child?
The whole message sexualizes and implies that females use their sexuality for some sort of gain. So in other words the underline message to me is glorifying or more so suggesting prostitution.
Some people will do anything for money.
This underscores the need for us as parents to teach our children self-protective behaviors and their right to safety.
Lilada
http://www.LiladasLivingroom.wordpress.com
February 3rd, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Thanks Melinda, I have sent my thoughts into Supre HR:
Good Afternoon,
I was disgusted to see “Pussy Power” t-shirts in your Sydney CBD store. This is blatant sexualisation of pre-teens and young teens. There are two possible outcomes – a young girl, oblivious to the porn-connotations of “pussy” could unwittingly purchase the shirt, having been misled by the picture of the cat and wear it and send a message she certainly wasn’t trying to send OR a young girl, knowing what connotations “pussy” has, is getting sent the message that her genitalia is a bargaining chip. Both outcomes are degrading to our young girls.
And please don’t tell me you’re really talking about cats, no-one is that stupid.
Show this generation some respect and sell clothing that validates them as humans, not as underage sex objects.
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:42 am
Great post.. here’s my response to Supre…
Dear Karen,
Why oh why does Supre continue to market clothing that objectifies young girls and promotes them in a sexual way? Your target market is tween – teen agers – girls 10-16 are your most avid customers. Why then, would any company market clothing for them using terms such as pussy power? Why always the sexual connotations. Are the Supre marketing department and/or your suppliers totally unable to think up funny/smart slogans that are cool and NOT risqué?
Seriously.. what do you think is a 40 year old man’s first thought on reading that slogan? Is Supre honestly wanting to encourage paedophilia? Because, that’s what it’s doing! Anyone wearing that sort of slogan is triggering men’s (and women’s) thoughts in a particular direction. The direction of that thought is purely sexual – nothing else. Do you really think it’s an appropriate message for an 8,10, 12, 14 or even 16 year old to wear? I personally don’t to be provoking men walking past my teenage daughter to think those sort of thoughts – would you?
It time Supre took responsibility for the market it has created. Why not do something radical different and encourage our young girls to be young girls, not mini adults. Champion the innocence of childhood, instead of steadily corroding by eroding good values and decency. You’d probably find you got a lot more sales instead of the total boycotts you get from people like me who refuse to allow their children to buy anything in your store because of the sleazy connotations of some of your product lines. Give our young girls the security to grow up without being sexually promoted years before they have the capacity to deal with the results of that.
Kind Regards,
Juliet
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:10 am
by the way, that email address is not working – bounces as non existent – I had to go to the Supre website to find a contact email there