Which brings me to a similar situation I encountered while up at the cabin this past Memorial Day. I was wearing this t-shirt.
This t-shirt cracks me up. I bought it from this site, that has oodles of sweet and equally funny t-shirts, including, but not limited to the other one I bought..
My friends actually made me turn it inside out...Can you believe that? You see, wearing this t-shirt in the city, and wearing it up in Northern Wisconsin where the Native American population at the bar (where incidentally we were heading) is FAR more prevalent...Wait...I didn't mean to make it sound like that. Ummm...There are more Native Americans at the bar up in Wisconsin than in Minneapolis? No? Not better? Damnit.
Well, without throwing out any unnecessary stereotypes I'll just say that before we entered the bar to sing karaoke and ensue with our garden variety tom foolery, my friends made me turn my shirt inside-out in an attempt to avoid offending "anyone." Which I did...While it was dark outside...With the light on INSIDE THE CAR so EVERYONE IN THE BAR COULD SEE MY BOOBS...Since we were parked in the front row directly in front of the large window. I was wearing a bra, but still...I got a few whistles upon entering, which I immediately blew off because, well, I was already a little tipsy.
So, to get down to why I'm writing about this, I would really like your opinion. I don't think the t-shirt is offensive...Am I totally insensitive and just plain wrong? It's just a play on words...Right?
20 comments:
I think it's funny but then again I always had T-Shirts like that. I had one that said "Will Work for Sex" which people thought promoted prostitution and all sorts of other similar shirts. I even have ones people don't get like in this post: http://digdouglas.blogspot.com/2005/09/they-just-dont-get-it.html
I was a fan of this one and this one. I may become a customer...
And really? People just need to get over it.
not offensive at all...I have a shirt that says "Sweatshops, another day...another dollar"...psuedo-offensive shirts use stereotypes and often negative cultural associations for humor...at the very least they promote awareness...and yes, feel free to use that argument with your friends =)
I don't think that it's that bad, but it would be even funnier if a Native American (or Indian depending on how one chooses to identify oneself) wore it. That would rule.
That's the kind of t-shirt that I think is hilarious but don't have the guts to wear. I don't know why-- I don't find it offensive, but I am not a great judge of what offends other people.
Being equally inconsiderate as you, I find it hilarious. Although I do have some reservations . . .
i hate the shirt. but not because it's offensive, i'm pretty insensitive on racial issues. i'm just sick to death of ironic t-shirts. i live near an art school.
Not anymore offensive than the fighting sioux of N Dak. or washington redskins helmet but its really up to the offendee. Now I wore a Vikings jersey at a Philly game in Philly and a lot more people were offended by that, hence the amounty of beer thrown at me (didn't know Philly had a high content of Nordic people). And when I wore the "NO" means "Yes" t-shirt to a NOW (National Organization of Women)convention that was dangerous.
Nah, I don't think it's offensive but I tend to be pretty un-PC. I think it's damn funny just the way the indian is standing all stiff-like. He looks like a sign. People need to ot get their panties in such a wad about stupid shit!
Offensive, probably. Funny, definately.
I thought it was hilarious. It could have been worse for you - you could have been wearing this shirt instead.
maybe depend on how people mean it, but who knows?
Great blog! I'm a girl from Mpls too. I felt the funny twinge when I saw the Reservations tee. I try too hard to be PC though, so I could never wear it.
I do wear one with a large soccer ball on it that says "my main goal is scoring." I traveled to MD with my mom wearing it and she didn't "get it" until airport security got a little chatty with me.
Jen,
Glad to see you being so politically incorrect! Who's a lib???
i'm with the group here. i own FAR too many shirts like this, usually what i feel are FAR more offensive that i get at http://tshirthell.com . i have a few of my favorite you can check out on my wishlist https://www.tshirthell.com/store/cart.php?mode=friend_wl&wlid=ed0fbc83983802eb9dbf3f22d67f52a9
i've always thought America is the land of the free. I'm so disappointed. i heard wrong.
I am absolutely sure however that you can walk around Jakarta wearing that shirt and you will get zero response. people are cool about that type of thing around here. really.
i'll make you change just to peek at the bra, but it'd have nothing to do with the shirt.
Sheesh - I was gonna post a while back, and for me anyways - 2 days plus of 'blogger maintenance something or other' Anyways - I don't get how it would be insensitive. It doesn't put down, it is merely a play on words. (does it count I am 1/8 Cherokee? - no not the Jeep!)
And your friends are ...friends?
I LOVE that pic.
My friend just sent me a bag of bumper stickers... each one is hilarious, but few of the can be displayed on a car without inviting harrassment from less funny people (or cops!)
Everyone gets offended by something different ... if you worry about it you will never get anywhere - people are pusses.
I love the shirt anyway :)
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