This article on brisbanetimes.com.au:
The state government is urging Queensland clothing stores not to sell a t-shirt depicting a woman bound and gagged, with the slogan ‘‘Relax, it’s just sex’’.
Minister for Women Karen Struthers today called on retailers to immediately remove the item, saying it suggested “sexual assaults on women are acceptable’’.
“The shirts, which show a woman blood-soaked, bound and gagged, are extremely disturbing,’’ she said. “I understand that people are free to express themselves as they chose, but these images cross the line in my view.’’
The confronting image is printed on the front and back of the predominantly black t-shirts.
The t-shirts are the product of US pornographic magazine Hustler, created by controversial publisher Larry Flynt, and have been sold in stores in Toowoomba and Brisbane.
Received this comment in response:
As much as I hate and would never wear something like that.
I still feel that it should be a citizens right to be able to wear what we want.
Our sons fought against communism and tyranny in many wars, we have lost many lives fighting for this freedom that we enjoy.Don’t say to the fallen soldiers that we don’t care for their sacrifice.
Don’t let the government control every facet of our lives.
Sure the T-shirts are sick, but it’s an individuals choice and it’s really not hurting anyone.Nathan | Graceville! – October 29, 2010, 8:43AM
Hah! Something to consider next Remembrance Day. Wear a poppy or a crass, misogynist t-shirt. Same same. The Diggers know what you mean.
(Also, note that nowhere in the article does the Minister for Women suggest “banning the t-shirt” and yet that is where commenters are directing their outrage).
Cross-posted at Hoyden About Town.
Couldn’t they be charged with inciting crime?
Surely if the Rabelais editors could be successfully charged for that tongue in cheek article on how to shoplift, it shouldn’t be too hard to charge people selling these t-shirts? It’s not like we actually have a right to freedom of expression in Australia.
(I’m actually not advocating for thus approach, just noting the discrepancy)
“Minister for Women Karen Struthers today called on retailers to immediately remove the item, saying it suggested “sexual assaults on women are acceptable’’.”
Odd. I’d say the opposite. The whole thing hinges on rape being unacceptable to make the phrase “relax, it’s just sex” seem absurd. If sexual assaults on women were acceptable, there wouldn’t be a joke. Humour, especially black humour like this, is upside-down and Karen Struthers has got the cart behind the horse, so to speak.
Whaaat? This is so unacceptable I am speechless.
Sorry, had a train to catch and forgot my actual point to follow my opener: Nathan, Graceville’s comment is a brilliant example of the mindset where any criticism by anyone even vaguely connected to the government counts as a ban. What he’s actually arguing is that our brave boys died for the right not to have to hear feminists’ opinions.
So I guess they will be trying to ban the omnipresent feminist’s t-shirt “boys are stupid throw rocks at them”.
I haven’t heard a word about it, but I guess they will make sure that equality is met here.
Sure they will.
Michelle – the ‘boys are stupid’ design is owned by a man who happily declares that he “doesn’t give a rat’s about girl empowerment” so I think we can leave the straw-feminists out of that one. We are not to blame!
The boy on the ‘boys are stupid’ t-shirt isn’t depicted as bloody and gagged like the woman on the rape t-shirt, so a little different. Rock-throwing at boys by girls is not a significant problem, whereas sexual violence against women and girls very much is.
I haven’t defended the ‘boys are stupid’ t-shirt and to be honest I haven’t seen it defended on any other feminist website. Again, enough with the straw-feminist.
I have never seen the ‘boys are stupid’ merchandise for sale here in Australia – I don’t think David & Goliath even makes them anymore.
All jokes aren’t equal, their power to hurt and offend is very much determined by the power status of the people you are poking fun at and by the power status of the people making the jokes. This is why as a white person I don’t get all that offended by the names ‘cracker’ or ‘honky’ but black people get very offended by ‘nigger’.
ARG! I *HATE* that argument. It’s true. People have the right to wear what they want, but it drives me crazy that it’s getting harder and harder to walk my kid down the street without worrying about what he’ll see or hear. Free speech is one thing, but without common courtesy for each other I sometimes wonder if we need more protection from ourselves.
I’m not sure the person who makes a socially unacceptable product is responsible for the behavior of the person who uses said product by way of gender responsibility or representation.
It’s possible somewhere along the production line there is a female involved with the creation of these awful “rape” t-shirts.
Personally I don’t attack straw this or logical fallacy that, I just know when something is equal or something isn’t.
The funny thing about the world is that most people’s beliefs are conveniently self serving as is the evidence they support what ever it is they are getting behind on the day.
Most people laugh at something until a joke finally offends them. At that point they either tough it out or fight back.
I find it hard to believe in censorship or a “version” of freedom of speech, because it always ends up with with some one trying to censor something to suit themselves.
Do I like the idea of some d.o.uche/b.ag taking it to the extreme at the expense of a victim’s recovery….goodness me no!
But, I like the fact that in a free society we can socially ostracize people who just want to offend, or better yet we can freely tell them what we think of them.
On the other side of the coin, we need to stop giving people reasons to believe they are victims (clearly not rape victims), but instead teach people to have thicker skins.
Maybe then will we have a society that has a semblance of honesty and self responsibility instead of perpetuated victims who live to blame and gain of the pain off of those who really have had it tough.
Sorry for the wall of words.
