Oh dear. (Picture: Sharilyn Neidhardtn/Forever 21)

An important reminder to any brand making a slogan t-shirt: Check whatever you’re writing on there.

Check it for spelling mistakes. Check to see if there’s any way it could be considered offensive. Go and show it to a panel of regular people who don’t work for you.

Because when you don’t do these things, sh*t like this happens. Sh*t like Forever 21 selling a men’s t-shirt that’s been accused of promoting rape culture.

Yep, Forever 21 really was selling a men’s t-shirt with the slogan: ‘Don’t say maybe if you want to say no.’ Ringing any alarm bells? No? Maybe?


(Picture: Forever 21)

When Cosmopolitan picked up on the t-shirt’s existence, loads of people tweeted their disappointment in the brand for failing to notice the ‘rapey’ undertones.

@Forever21 Could you maybe NOT sell this shirt? People are working hard to get rid of rape culture, not enforce it pic.twitter.com/PqfkHLzGgx — Alyssa (@Aly_Cohen) March 14, 2016

GOTTA LOVE THAT RAPE CULTURE AT @Forever21

I'M ASHAMED FOR YOUR COMPANY pic.twitter.com/m1zP138Nr7 — liam @ FAREWELL (@tf2chainz) February 12, 2016

.@Forever21 clearly didn't have a PR person in the room when they decided to sell a shirt supporting rape culture. pic.twitter.com/lmKqkM2MWb — Erin (@E_Zaran) March 14, 2016

And after outrage started the build, Forever 21 removed the shirt from their website and released an official statement.



They said: ‘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.’

Powerful photo series ‘Still Not Asking For It’ calls out rape culture and victim blaming

Good on them for actually listening to their customers and taking down the product. But seriously? Seriously?

It’s ridiculous that in 2016 offensive shirts like these are still making it through all the steps that go into manufacturing and selling a t-shirt without one person saying ‘hmm. Couldn’t that be read as promoting rape culture?’

Sort it out.

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