By MEGAN WRIGHT
It seems like every day there’s another celebrity having another rant about something outrageous. So much so that it can be tempting to tune out altogether. But not this time.
On her benevolent quest to right wrongs and help the world, actress Sophia Bush has spoken publicly about her outrage at American store Urban Outfitters for their latest flawed t-shirt designs.
Actually flawed might be an understatement.
The well-known chain has cast controversy over their product design for their latest women’s shirt which features the slogan “eat less”.
But the issue isn’t just about the t-shirt. It’s about the kind of message it’s sending to young women who are the brand’s primary target market.
As Sophia Bush put it:
To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you. I will no longer be shopping at your stores. And I will encourage the tens of thousands of female supporters I have to do the same.
And then she quite rightly demanded this of the multinational brand…
You should issue a public apology, and make a hefty donation to a women’s organisation that supports those stricken with eating disorders. I am sickened that anyone, on any board, in your gigantic company would have voted ‘yes’ on such a thing, let alone enough of you to manufacture an item with such a hurtful message. It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun. You should know better.
Urban Outfitters, a chain which is also responsible for the likes of Anthropologie, Terrain and Free People, is not new to this type of scandal.
In 2003 the company released a parody of the Monopoly board game called “ghettopoly”, followed a short time later by a t-shirt with the slogan, “everyone loves a Jewish girl”.
Already this year the brand has been slammed for their controversial “depression” shirt, which featured the word depression in a variety of sizes covering the entire shirt.
Let’s hope this is not going to be a lasting trend.
If this post brings up any issues for you, please contact The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673).
And if that wasn’t enough, check out these offensive fashion industry fails…
What do you think of the shirt?
