Adelaide designers come under fire by disability advocates after launching their 'Retarde' clothing line

Updated

Two Adelaide designers have come under fire for a clothing line which has been described as discriminatory and humiliating.

Disability advocates are furious after t-shirts and jumpers with the word "Retarde" on the front were released by the Art of Aztec label created by fashion designers Renae Beaty and Ema Raw.

Angry protesters gathered outside the youth retail chain Globalize store in Adelaide's Rundle Mall, which began stocking the newly released label last week.

Protester Karen Haupteman, whose intellectually disabled son died when he was nine, says it is her job to speak for him and the many others who are unable to stand up for themselves.

"The word retard, or retarde, only means one thing. It's a word that's used to bully. Kids are killing themselves, kids are committing suicide because they're being bullied," she said.

"These kids are marginalised, they're non verbal. We're their mothers. We're here to speak for them. We're here to let people know it's not ok.

"Hate, discrimination, humiliation, it's not on."

Protesters waved placards which read "hate speech is unacceptable" and "ditch the R word today" outside the Globalize clothing store in Rundle Mall.

One protester, Sam, says life is hard enough for her 13-year-old son and says this kind of abuse is like a kick in the guts.

"The day that my kid came home from school and said that he'd been called a retard, it was actually one of the most devastating days of my life," she said.

"I know that sounds weak, but I think it just brought home the nature of disability and the discrimination that he was going to face for the rest of his life."

Globalize defends decision to stock 'Retarde' label in its stores

Clayton Cross, managing director for Globalize across South Australia and Victoria, has defended the company's decision to stock Art of Aztec's Retarde label in their stores.

"They're just some disgruntled mothers mollycoddling some children," he said.

"To be honest, I think everyone's got to harden up a little.

"If someone walks past you wearing a shirt with seven letters that don't actually mean anything and you're so insulted by it that you become aggrieved.

"You've really got to have a good hard look at yourself."

They may be disgruntled but these parents have intellectually and physically disabled children, and feel that is derogatory towards them; the word 'retard' is discriminatory.

In a statement, Adelaide designers Renae Beaty and Ema Raw, defended the spelling of the word 'Retarde'.

"We do not see why people would take offence, as this word is clearly not an English word. 'RETARDE' is a French verb used on our items, which means 'delayed' or 'held up'."

Paralympic cyclist wears 'Retarde' t-shirt, defends designers

Paralympic cyclist Mel Leckie turned up in her wheelchair at the Rundle Mall protest and defended the two designers by wearing one of their t-shirts.

"I don't understand what the problem is because it's not directed at a person or a group of people," she said.

"The only negative connotation is what society has put on it.

"If it was more specific as you're a retard, then I would understand."

However Dignity for Disability MP Kelly Vincent believes people need to be more thoughtful about the negative messages The Art of Aztec's clothing line conveys.

"I want people to actually think about what they're doing when they put that shirt on, what they're saying about themselves and about people they don't even know," he said.

"This isn't just about the people here today, it's about everyone who's been ridiculed at high school, everyone that's ever been put down for being different."

Globalize management says it will continue to stock the label, but won't ask for a recut of the Retarde line.

Topics: community-and-society, activism-and-lobbying, discrimination, health, disabilities, sa, adelaide-5000, australia

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