e-mail
The author of Life in Fitzville emailed me and asked me to check this out.
Is your mouth hanging open? Mine is.
Steamed? I sure am.
What will my kids think when they see some idiot parading around in this shirt? What will your kids think? And what about the people who don’t know much about adoption? Will they think adoption is a choice that honors people’s lives?
Adopting is about people.
Adopting is about families.
We’re complicated. We’re imperfect. We’ve had tough stuff happen to us. Sometimes we’re scarred. But we are overcoming the tough times and we’re doing our best to create one of the most precious gifts life has to offer.
Family.
Not a trend. Not an accessory. Not a way to sell a t-shirt.
Family.
Got a few choice words for this company? Here’s their email. Let ‘em have it.
_____________________
Others who’ve weighed in on this issue:
Third Mom: Say What?
Just Showing Up: Gimme A Break
The Family Expansion: New Black
Swerl: Urban Outfitter’s New Black Eye
A New Flower Blooms: Adopting (as) the new black
And finally, here’s an article from the Sydney Morning Herald Blog, written back in October of last year, demonstrating just the type of negative thought such a slogan can encourage. Baby-selling is the last thing any legitimate member of the adoption community wants to be associated with. But baby-selling is just what the message on that t-shirt implies.
Update: It appears that this company is no longer selling this shirt on-line. Keep complaining and maybe they’ll decide to pull it off the shelves in the stores too.
I agree; I’ve emailed them with some very choice words.
Lisa
I sent them an E-Mail too and let them know that I won’t be rushing out to buy the tee shirt much less anything else that they sell.
Hi Mary,
I was just coming over to write about this, but it looks like you beat me to it! Your readership is much broader, so I’m glad it’s getting attention in a popular spot. I am *mortified*.
The whole idea of adoption being a “trend” really gets my blood boiling. It just seems so incredibly demeaning to adopted children and their families. Thanks for the UO’s e-mail address. I hope they are flooded with tons of “choice words!”
GRRRR MARY!!! I sent an email as well, I hate the whole TREND stereotype that comes along with adoption. It’s just ignorant people with nothing better to do or think! How offensive to many families!
You know, even if there is a surge in adoption in the last ten years that could be called a trend (in the empirical sense I see nothing wrong with that word- “fad” bothers me more), that shirt is just dumb. It’s hurtful to kids, for pete’s sake. Thanks for posting it, and their email.
I think they’ve removed it! I just went to the link you posted and there’s nothing there. Good job!
It’s still there when I click on it. I e-mailed and I am sending to friends and family.
Thanks for the heads up!
Renee
Thanks for the heads up! I sent an outraged email as well.
What a completely moronic shirt!
This made my stomach turn – thanks for bringing it to our attention. I also sent out an email to family and friends to ask them send their own choice words. Hopefully they’ll be flooded with emails!
Thanks!
Stacie
I’ve blogged about this extensively at:
http://swerl.blogspot.com
Please read the history of this company, there.
I’ve also reached out to the Evan B. Donaldson foundation, writers like Melissa Fay Greene, forums and other bloggers.
With apologies to HOLLY, the shirt is STILL THERE.
We need to keep the pressure up.
Also, the Anti-Defamation League did not go to the general comments hotline. Neither should we. Approach the FOUNDER and PRESIDENT, DIRECTLY:
Richard A. Hayne
Chairman of the Board of Directors and President
Urban Outfitters, Inc.
1809 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
richard.hayne@urbanout.com
Tel: 215-564-2313
Fax: 215-568-1549
Best,
Swerl
The shirt is currently “not available” according to the website. Either it was a “hot item” and sold out, or the company is listening.
Oh, my word…shame on them. This will be the second company to get an email from me today…
Done! (And I managed to keep it relatively civil, which was surprising.)
Mary I am right there with you, this is TERRIBLE. I blogged about it over on my blog as well, I am just so irritated. Talk about not respecting a child’s/family’s dignity. I already emailed the comments line and will email the president as well.
Thank you so much for posting this and letting us all know.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention! My friend briannaheldt posted it on her blog, which is how I found out about it. I’ll will blog about it as well and have already emailed the company. The shirt is so tasteless and offensive. It grieves me that people would find it funny.