Genuinely being advertised on Ebay
By Louise Livesey | 18 November 2008, 08:30
But obviously we don’t live in a society hostile to women’s rights…..
Description: A blue short-sleeved men’s tshirt on which the slogan reads: Statistically 9 out of 10 people enjoy gangrape
Description: A red short-sleeved men’s tshirt on which the slogan reads “It isn’t rape if you shout surprise
The shop claim their tshirts are “fun” and represent a “light hearted attitude”. Yep got that right - ‘cos, y’know rape is inherently funny isn’t it? The violation of an actual person for the amusement of others. Their email address is ebay@chargrilled.co.uk by the way. On their website they classify the “it isn’t rape is you shout surprise” tshirt as “offensive” but the gang rape one is apparently just “funny”.
I’ve emailed a press query asking them 1. why they produce statements justifying and minimising sexual violence and 2. how this fits with their remit of light heartedness. Let’s see if they have the balls to respond - but given their press contact is male I am guessing they won’t. That’s your challenge Chargrilled - come up with a decent response which goes beyond “we’re male therefore we have a right to minimise the abuse of women”.
Have your say
In order to keep this blog as a feminist and friendly space, comments will be subject to some rules. We do not seek to censor debate: the beauty of the internet is that anyone can set up their own blog or website to express their views.
- This blog is a safe and friendly space for feminists and feminist allies. Debate and critique are welcome where it is constructive and deepens analysis or understanding. Anti-feminist comments will not be approved. We get to decide what's anti-feminist.
- All comments must be approved by one of the bloggers. For this reason, there may be a delay before your comment appears.
- No sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, classist, ablist comments, comments which make personal attacks on any blogger or commenter, or comments that are otherwise deemed offensive by us will be posted.
- Trolls will be banned from commenting. We get to decide who is a troll.
- No anonymous comments - please feel free to use your real name or make one up, though.
- Be nice.
Feeds
Leigh said:
Actually they probably have a slew of responses that go beyond “we’re male therefore we have a right to minimise the abuse of women”- and probably including that they're 'being ironic', that 'nothing should be beyond the reach of comedy'. The challenging for feminists is to show them, calmly and convincingly, why those arguments are false or false in this case.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 9:21 AM
emma said:
I think you should let metro or a local student newspaper know they might run an article on this.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 9:27 AM
lucy said:
At the very bottom of the ebay listing page you can "report this item". The ebay terms read "eBay will judiciously disallow listings or items that promote hatred, violence,", so i suspect these items will be taken down if you contact them. I have already, but more emails can't hurt.
In the past this technique has proved more sucessful than contacting the company producing such T shirts.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 9:50 AM
Steph Jones said:
I'm just lost for words.
CharGrilled are also contactable at: contact@chargrilled.co.uk
Here's some information about their 'team': http://www.chargrilled.co.uk/t-shirts/about.asp
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 9:58 AM
Lotus said:
Sadly not at all surprised. The 'surprise sex' thing has been a meme in at least the circles I run in (anime fandom) for quite some time. People don't see why it's wrong either, which is the most disgusting part. I've been in the position before of explaining why it's disgusting. People actually use that slogan in casual conversation, I'm not surprised some wear it on a t-shirt. Completely disgusting. The complete lack of thought and respect some people display is amazing.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 10:45 AM
Soirore said:
The makers of these T-Shirts are mainly men but surely they can imagine the horror of a "surprise" anal penetration. Or would they find it hilarious.
Also does this mean that a man wearing one of these T-Shirts is giving permission to others to rape him? (as long as they shout surprise first)
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 11:22 AM
JenniferRuth said:
*sigh*
How lovely to see memes such as this jump off the internet and onto apparal.
I can think of one positive though - at least the person wearing such a t-shirt would be straight-up advertising themselves as a complete shit. Much easier to avoid them that way.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 11:59 AM
Kath said:
"I can think of one positive though - at least the person wearing such a t-shirt would be straight-up advertising themselves as a complete shit. Much easier to avoid them that way."
Hear, hear. See my blog for another example of an offensive t-shirt I came across recently. Not as awful as these examples though.
Posted on 18 November 2008 at 2:47 PM
Eva said:
Let's just say if this was a situation where mostly men were the victims, you probably wouldn't see this t-shirt floating around out there.
Like men would think a guy raping him, taking him by force, is funny? I don't think so.
"I can think of one positive though - at least the person wearing such a t-shirt would be straight-up advertising themselves as a complete shit. Much easier to avoid them that way."
sadly, there are women who would find that attractive.
Posted on 23 November 2008 at 8:18 PM
SunlessNick said:
Those are disgusting. That's pretty much it.
Posted on 24 November 2008 at 12:24 AM
nick said:
yep...t shirts are offensive .....and the 'boys are stupid throw rocks at them are ' are equally as bad ......
sorry cant add a pic .....but there on sale too ....and i've seen 'boys are stupid' 2009 calender on sale at Play.com .........
Posted on 03 December 2008 at 3:49 PM
shatterboxx said:
Nick? I agree with you. How does that make the T-shirts this blog post is about any better?
Posted on 03 December 2008 at 10:17 PM
nick said:
Shatterbox ......it doesn't......
those T shirts are offensive .....
just showing that there a clothing and products that promote violence against men/boys too..............we are all in this together ...........unless you agree that throwing rocks at boys is a good thing ...............which I'm sure you dont.
Posted on 05 December 2008 at 8:55 AM
the boy himself said:
um, i don't think "boys are stupid... throw rocks at them" is anywhere near the same thing. it is a childlike slogan reminscent of the playfully antagonistic relationship between lucy and charlie brown in peanuts, while these two t shirts concern a horrific violent sexual crime which women are almost always the victims of.
i find it offensive that you could claim that men are subject to the same sort of hostility. the t shirt would never be manufactured, let alone sold on ebay, if it read "statistically 9 out of 10 men enjoy gang rape"
x
Posted on 13 January 2009 at 12:20 PM
Cara said:
Charming (these T-shirts, that is).
'Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them' is certainly not a T-shirt I would wear, or approve of...but no way is it as offensive as these rape promoting T-shirts.
Also, yeah, it is not the topic being discussed. If anyone objects to T-shirts advocating throwing rocks at boys, they are free to go and complain to the manufacturers or start a blog or whatever.
Classic 'what about the meeeeeen!'
Posted on 13 January 2009 at 6:05 PM