The Foschini Group has withdrawn three T-shirts from their stores with immediate effect, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday.
The withdrawal comes after a petition by local feminist organisation, FeministsSA, because the t-shirts were deemed sexist.
Shocking styles and slogans.
The T-shirts, all for men, featured slogans such as
“You looked better from behind”;
“S: Stay I: Intoxicated N: Nightly G: Get L: Laid E: Every day”
and
“I put the STD in STUD, all I need is U”.
Available at Markhams and Sports Scene stores, the T-shirts were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but had caused offence to some customers.
Designer defends t-shirts.
Harry Fokker (I shite you not!) the designer of the t-shirts, explained that the purpose of these T-shirts was “satirical” and that they were “meant to be humorous, to use controversy”.
Fokker was also quoted as saying that Markham’s withdrawal of the t-shirts was an “unfortunate outcome”.
In their petition to the Foschini Group, FeministsSA took a firm stand on the views expressed by Fokker
“Fokker’s use of images and slogans that are explicitly misogynistic on Markham t-shirts is neither humorous nor satirical. In the South African context in which rates of violence against women are among the world’s highest. His T-shirts display, at best, foolish naïvete, at worst, casual bigotry,” they stated.
Social networking storm
Using social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook, FeministsSA asked its followers to boycott all Foschini stores until all the offensive sweaters had been removed. The request, along with the petition included on thepetitionsite.com, caused an uproar which ultimately prompted the Group to remove the T-shirts.
Crossing the line
The Foschini Group’s communications manager Kathryn Sakalis said “We have hundreds of Ts with different slogans. Those withdrawn are three we felt crossed the line between humorous and offensive," she said.
Offensive? They should read some of my fucking t-shirts!
My favourite at the moment?
"Some say I have a bad attitude. I say FUCK 'EM!"
That one is dedicated to Harry Fokker!
Put THAT in yer pipe and smoke it, Foschini. Its called Satire and its fucking funny!!













