Inappropriate to wear in public

Sometimes I just have to shake my head. I don't remember being bothered this much by stuff like this before I was a mom, but now that I am a mom some things I think are really inappropriate for mainstream public consumption.

Last night on the bus a young man - maybe early 20's - got on the bus with a t-shirt I found offensive. Let's just say it said something that rhymed with "I ducked your Witch". I wouldn't want my child to read that and to think that the comment expressed on his shirt was an appropriate comment/attitude to have. What about the older people on the bus. They shouldn't have to read things like that.

I mean really, who sells junk like that? Why would you sell junk like that. I have found a major increase in shirts with inappropriate images and saying on them.

I understand the right of freedom of expression, but at what point do you say enough is enough.

Am I just being to sensitive?

No, I agree with you. I don't have kids yet and I can't stand to see what some people wear nowadays. It is crazy.

Originally Posted by adymarie

I understand the right of freedom of expression, but at what point do you say enough is enough.

Am I just being to sensitive?

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Well I don't know about being sensitive.

However I would say if you were in the US "Freedom of speech". But you are not. I assume Cananda is simular.

Anyway I think the answer lies in the question of "What point do you say enough is enough?"

Meaning who decides that point? Is it you are you going to be the deciding factor of what is offensive and what isn't? Personally I wouldn't have thought twice over a shirt like that. So should my opinion be the deciding factor?

Everyone has different levels of what is offensive to them and I think that's why it's so hard to draw a line.

It is bad enough that HR had to send an email to all enployees stating that they were not appropriate for work

While I probably wouldn't even think twice about it normally, if I had my nephew or another child with me I can imagine having the same reaction to you. Really there is just no need to walk around with that on your clothes even if you would talk like that.

At least with speech you can tailor it to the audience, but your clothing is different.

Yes I agree with you. I don't know if it's an age thing or not. I don't see adults wearing t-shirts like that, only the teens or early 20's. Let's face it things are just not the same as they once were, the standards are much lower and parents are just not looking at what their kids are doing, IMO. At a Yankee ballgame recently Alex Rodriguez's wife sat in the stadium with a shirt that said and rhymes with Buck You and she's an adult, it was all over the news and right next to her sat her young daughter. Don't know what she was trying to prove except making the Yankees look more foolish than they already are...pathetic.

I am fairly...I should say VERY hard to offend in that way..

But I find that would be offensive for me to read in public. IMO there is no reason to wear a shirt with swears on it

And this is me..I love swearing IRL But with shirts, its not like you can hide it when kids or elderly people are around.

(I would not swear in public out loud for everyone to hear)..LOL..I felt I had to say that

BTW - like how I was able to explain what was on the shirt without saying what was on the shirt.

I have no problem with people swearing, not something I do personally, but it doesn't really bother me as long as Kevin doesn't start anytime soon.

I think even more then the swearing on the shirt was the attitude toward women I found objectional. I don't want my boys to learn to treat women like objects (their daddy isn't helping there - he has taught Kev to say cutie and Chica boom boom).

I don't use that sort of language and I certainly wouldn't wear it on a T-shirt. Personally, I find it to be offensive.

I recently took issue with my friend, Jen. EVERY other word, out of her mouth, starts with an "F". I asked her if she REALLY listened to herself and pointed out hat she would discipline her kids, for using that type of language (they're learning it from HER). In the past week, I've noticed that she's toned it down, considerably.

I think it is in bad taste, but you can't limit those kinds of freedoms for the simple reason: who is to say where to draw the line for others? Who should be the one to decide what is appropriate and what's not? Power always gets abused, so who would we want to give that kind of power to?

Youth wants to shock people, and get a reaction, so the best thing to do is ignore it. If my daughter asked about it, I would tell her the man is trying to get attention with a bad attitude and limited vocabulary.

That kind of thing disgusts me, too, but once you start censoring speech, you're on a very slippery slope. And SW is right about ignoring them.

Something that worries me more, really, is the whole series of supposedly clever things on shirts for young girls lately -- sayings that are supposed to express their contempt for boys, their disloyalty to boyfriends, their personal convictions that they are "hot"... what's cute about this? These are children, for Pete's sake! Why on earth would we go out of our way to reinforce such petty, self-absorbed attitudes, particularly at this very impressionable time in their lives?

One despairs, I tell ya.

Originally Posted by Cat Mommy

No, I agree with you. I don't have kids yet and I can't stand to see what some people wear nowadays. It is crazy.

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Hmmm... so what's the limit in your eyes? What's right and what's wrong to wear?

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I think it is in bad taste, but you can't limit those kinds of freedoms for the simple reason: who is to say where to draw the line for others? Who should be the one to decide what is appropriate and what's not? Power always gets abused, so who would we want to give that kind of power to?

Youth wants to shock people, and get a reaction, so the best thing to do is ignore it. If my daughter asked about it, I would tell her the man is trying to get attention with a bad attitude and limited vocabulary.

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I thought that was funny!

So true. I do not like stuff like that and would not wear it. I personally think it is very rude and extremely immature. But no matter what, people are going to do whatever they want. It's too bad that people feel like they have to be like that. If people want to be disgusting, that is their problem. I am not saying it is right, but I just try to ignore it.

I have a T-shirt that says "Aren't we a ray of sunshine?" with a snarling sun on the front. I like the shirt, but I always feel a little embarassed wearing it, because I don't really swear all that often and it's definitely not an appropriate shirt. But still, I have the shirt, and my friends have and wear much more questionable attire, and it doesn't bother me -- except for that twinge of embarassment I feel when donning my own shirt.

Originally Posted by adymarie

I think even more then the swearing on the shirt was the attitude toward women I found objectional. I don't want my boys to learn to treat women like objects (their daddy isn't helping there - he has taught Kev to say cutie and Chica boom boom).

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This was what I found objectionable about the shirt in the OP -- not the swearing, but the way it portrayed women as sex objects to be owned. That bothers me far more than swearing ever could.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I think it is in bad taste, but you can't limit those kinds of freedoms for the simple reason: who is to say where to draw the line for others? Who should be the one to decide what is appropriate and what's not? Power always gets abused, so who would we want to give that kind of power to?

Youth wants to shock people, and get a reaction, so the best thing to do is ignore it. If my daughter asked about it, I would tell her the man is trying to get attention with a bad attitude and limited vocabulary.

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That's a good answer, and a good way to look at things.

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Something that worries me more, really, is the whole series of supposedly clever things on shirts for young girls lately -- sayings that are supposed to express their contempt for boys, their disloyalty to boyfriends, their personal convictions that they are "hot"... what's cute about this? These are children, for Pete's sake! Why on earth would we go out of our way to reinforce such petty, self-absorbed attitudes, particularly at this very impressionable time in their lives?

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While I agree with regards to the whole disloyalty to boyfriends (and people in general -- I've seen some of these shirts young girls are wearing today) I can't really take any offense at young women declaring themselves "hot." Too many women are ashamed of their bodies and obsess over their weight, so to me it seems a positive thing for young women to decide that they think they're attractive and to shout it to the heavens. The problem is, I guess, that "hot" equates to "sexy" which equates to "sexual being," and children shouldn't be that, ever. If only we could get them to say "I like myself the way I am" instead of wearing a T-shirt that says "Sexy ."

And here I thought this was wearing pink and purple clothing in public-or women wearing shorts that shouldn't or guys wearing shorts and wingtip shoes in public!!

People who wear those types of shirts think the are soo cool and to me are attention seekers. I personally would not give them the satisfaction that their clothing offends me.

Well I guess I must be all of the above! lol..

I am 31, and have a shirt that says "Too busy to FCUK" from the French Connection clothing line. I love that shirt. It's cute.

Originally Posted by katl8e

I don't use that sort of language and I certainly wouldn't wear it on a T-shirt.

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Same here. I don't shock easily and it takes a lot to offend me, but that sort of t-shirt is just plain tacky anyway

I agree it is an attention seeking and rebellious device.

My first term back at college, age 36, I had a young friend who was 18. She came to class dressed in black leather, chains, black/green hair, sullen expression, all around cranky looking young woman. She sat next to me, fat old lady (old to her) and we became friends over the term. Turns out she was very insecure, lots of parent issues, had an inborn talent for writing. Just a wonderful young woman. Yet she portrayed herself to the world as something completely opposite.

One day she came to class wearing a black tshirt with bold white letters that read: "duck, duckety, duck, duck, duck" (exchange appropriate letter). Knowing her a bit by then, I just laughed till I cried. She laughed and told me I wasn't responding to her shirt as I should. She called it her shock factor shirt. Did the shirt get her the attention she craved, yes? Of course, it wasn't good attention but sometimes it doesn't matter.

I try to look beyond the clothing now. I like SW's suggestion. Yes, the kids are looking for attention. The best thing to do is ignore them.

Or, maybe admire the shirt and ask where they bought it. I doubt they would continue wearing it if they knew the middle-aged crowd thought it was cool

I want to know what ya'll think about the one's that wear their shorts or pants three times to big so they keep falling down, and we all get to see their underwear or worse. I have actually asked some of the "kid's" I know why this cool. I don't think I've ever gotten an answer, they just roll their eyes.

I did enjoy this one time when one of the nastier kids on my block was running to catch the bus, and actually fell because his shorts fell too far down.

Originally Posted by Breal76

Well I guess I must be all of the above! lol..

I am 31, and have a shirt that says "Too busy to FCUK" from the French Connection clothing line. I love that shirt. It's cute.

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Me too. I have the FCUK in New Orleans tshirt and it is one of my favourites - its so comfy!

Well I thought I had seen it all till a girl came into where I work with flip flops,cut off holey shorts, and a t-shirt that read B**** !! She was there for a follow up interview!! When her new boss came to retrive her he told her she was in the wrong place she needed to see another person, she replied to him "I KNOW THAT!! Just tell me where I am supposed to be so I can get there already, I am freaking late!!!' She still got hired!!!