The Point Of Wearing Offensive T-shirts

By Tameka Ware


A good T-shirt can become like an old friend. It can make you feel comfortable and happy. If it has a funny slogan, it will not only make you laugh, but will also put a smile on the face of everyone you come into contact with. Sometimes it can even shock and make people think. This is the point of good offensive T-shirts.

When a slogan is provocative, people will talk about it. This encourages dialogue and deeper thinking about the message. It is after all not necessarily the message itself, but rather the way that people react to it, that can offend, especially when the slogan touches on human rights issues like gay rights or women's rights.

Provocative slogans and designs come in many varieties. The intent is usually to make people sit up and take notice. This is especially the case with political religious or societal issues. For example, a slogan that has to do with gay rights will probably upset a great number of people, but may also get some of them to think about whether they can justify their attitudes towards gays and lesbians.

A great time for interesting and clever slogans are during an election campaign. Designs with 'Vote for Candidate A' are everywhere and the message may become lost. However, a humorous design that pokes good-natured fun at Candidate B will explain to people why they should be voting for Candidate A instead. They may not even realize that you are trying to sway their vote. This is a much more effective way of drumming up support for the candidate of your choice.

Talking about bodily functions on your tee is another popular theme. They provoke a base reaction, such as making people shudder in disgust. If they're clever enough, however, they can make some people think about society's attitude towards talking about functions like going to the bathroom, having your period or breaking wind, that are completely natural and normal.

Sometimes your tee can offend without you meaning it to. A slogan about being a sexy girl, for instance, can be construed by some as just another example of how the patriarchal system puts women in boxes and expects them to fulfill only certain roles, like being appreciated for their sex appeal and not their ability to think. The message that you were trying to send then gets lost in a completely opposite interpretation of what you intended.

The way that you wear your tee can also add additional meaning to the message in the slogan. For example, a slogan that tries to reinforce an anti-Semitic stereotype can backfire completely when worn by someone who is Jewish. The wearer will make the slogan completely meaningless and will at the same time show that he or she is above pettiness.

When you decide to design or wear offensive T-shirts, you should carefully consider the message. There is a fine line between being provocative and being downright hurtful. That slogan that makes fun of rape, for instance, may sound clever to you but it won't to the statistical average of one in four women who has been raped.




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