Great tits T shirt -like or dislike? Please read.

[skinnyminx]

I'm glad to see that Suzi Perry's photo and the Breakthrough logo have now been removed from the English Threads website.

The tag-line displayed above a photo of the t-shirt reads "Great tits for breast cancer", hmmmmmmm, that could be construed in different ways.

[Ninja]

The Wright Stuff is a TV prog and doesn't sell anything, Carol.

The T-shirt company is English threads.
HTH

[carolihne]

glad this has been sorted out now (well sort of) but i certainly won't be buying anything from the wright stuff EVER.
cheers
Caroline

[Guest user]

This is not a new idea for a T shirt. The company that made them for BC already produced this design, they just made it in pink for BC. Other companies make similar designs with the words "Great Tits" printed on them. People will still buy and wear this design but BC will no longer get any money. At least this has put breast cancer in the news again but I think it's a shame that it's negative news. I don't think all people with breast cancer are that sensative and there are much more offensive slogans on t shirts.

[Lavenderlassie]

Well done, BCC supporters from another who would vote DISLIKE. I would have just giggled about this T shirt in the past, but would find it upsetting now, as I come to terms with a much altered body image. Bras over T shirts for night walks are different. I can still wear bras (just not usually over my T shirt)
How anyone could have thought this was OK for BC campaigning beats me

[Ninja]

Breakthrough Breast Cancer:

Over the weekend it has become very apparent that the English Threads fundraising tee-shirt has created a great deal of upset and anger. As such we have spoken with the company today asking them to remove the association with Breakthrough from this product.

We would like to unreservedly apologise for any upset this fundraising initiative has created. The opportunity arose from the company wanting to help us raise funds in our fight against breast cancer and was motivated by their very personal connection with the disease. We accept on this occasion we made the wrong decision and we would like to reassure all of our supporters that we will act on any lessons that can be learnt.

[tors]

Apparently breakthrough have just withdrawn their support for the T shirt, it's on their fb page

[Ninja]

Great Tits is due to be mentioned at 10.15

[tors]

The wright stuff is on now.

Please contact them. 0207 173 5555
Email.

[tors]

The wright stuff is on now.

Please contact them. 0207 173 5555
Email.

[xwelcomex]

The Wright Stuff Channel 5 9.30

This morning: Should union bosses be threatening civil disobedience just a month after the riots? Also, your thoughts on the breast cancer t shirt that features a pair of great tits on the front that’s got survivors in a flap. And why on earth does Nancy Dell’Olio deserve a place on Strictly?

And Suzi Perry who modelled the t-shirt is withdrawing her pictures

[belinda]

I'm not a member of facebook or twitter so perhaps I'm unable to read all but there does not seem to be a recent response or any response from breakthrough on their facebook ...I am so disappointed with them.
Will be watching the show this morning.

[supertrouper]

Good morning early birds. I believe this t-shirt is going to be discussed on channel 5 this morning at 9:15.

[Ninja]

If chavvy girls want to draw more attention to their mammary glands by wearing a tits T-shirt, let them.

However, a T-shirt that is smutty and shows "Great Tits" is a smack in the face for people who don't have breasts any more due to cancer.
It is extremely inappropriate.

[moorcow]

DISLIKE intensely -
I used to have lovely breasts, now I have one lovely breast - its a breast not a tit, and I am the only one to get to make jokes about it thanks, not someone wanting to make a bit of cash - shame on Breakthrough too I am afraid, fancy aligning yourself with something that cheapens our experience of mutilating surgery to our lovely bodies and something that kills.
very very poor taste,
Nicola

[Guest user]

https://www.facebook.com/officialwrightstuff/posts/10150793166235422

Leave your comments for the show today.

[carolihne]

DISLIKE
Tasteless, childish and not very funny either.
Also I don't like the inference by the people marketing it that is being done to raise money for BC and that somehow not to support it is not to support charity (or have i read too much into their comments).
For the record I don't have great tits - they have beet butchered, irridated and generally messed around with IN ORDER TO SAVE MY LIFE.
To market the t shirt on the back of BC is a cheap trick - shame on them.
caroline

[belfor21]

Hi
DISLIKE from me too

Rhona

[Guest user]

DISLIKE

Ugh, totally inappropriate, upsetting and offensive when connected with a Breast Cancer charity (and not even funny anyway).

[BellaLasagne]

A massive DISLIKE from me.

[Guest user]

DISLIKE

[Guest user]

Dislike, dislike, dislike.
Crude, insensitive and hurtful.
18 months down the line I still do not look in the mirror, I would be horrified if friends or family bought this in support of BC.
The fact that this was an existing design speaks volumes... nothing short of a marketing spin.
If they really wanted to support BC research, they would have designed something relevant and appropriate and listened when the big BC charities said that it was inappropriate.
I hope that they use all the feedback to do something positive, I would hate to see 'good intentions' turn into a 'Ratner' moment.

[susana46]

DISLIKE

[Guest user]

I've just become aware of the issue reading the posting of some of my BCC friends on FB. Well.....like many before me have said IN ITSELF the t-shirt would be perfectly ok. It's the fact they have associated with BC that is questionable. Because how can you joke about breast cancer? I'm the cheekiest, most fun loving girl around but I don't think that joking about breasts that have been maimed because of this horrible disease is a laughing matter. In fact it is very offensive and insensitive towards women who are battling against it. Do you honestly think that a pair of male boxer shorts with a picture of a cockerel and the writing GREAT COCK would be an appropriate one to support prostate cancer??? COME ON!!! Who are these marketing people?
So to conclude: DISLIKE!
Lulu xx

[tors]

Nope, still collecting votes.

[Crabbit]

Am I too late for a dislike? x

[tors]

Well done Maggie!

And well done suzi perry for listening and acting so decisively. Breakthrough and english threads could learn a lot from you as to how to deal with such sensitive matters

[belinda]

Massive thankyou to all the movers and shakers on this thread!
x

[Guest user]

Well done Maggie. That's excellent news!
Good for you in being so proactive!
I wrote a long missive last night to the company which will add weight but your intervention will definitely make a huge difference.

I hope you are well. We were in touch in the earlier days about 12/18 months ago. Do hope you've been progressing ok.
It would be lovely to hear your progress.

Best wishes Wx

[marjay12]

Hi Ladies,
I started a thread called "English Threads t shirt issue. However to update you all, I e-mailed Suzi Perry the model of the t shirt and I thought you would be interested in her reply.

"Hello Maggie, As I am sure you will appreciate, my intentions in wearing the t-shirt were entirely honourable. I have friends who have battled breast cancer and indeed I had a nasty scare a couple of years ago so I felt that this was agood way of raising much needed funds for breast cancer awareness and research for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. There has been a great deal of positive feedback but rather than upset and hurt any ladies who have been through so much, I will be withdrawing my picture from English Threads as soon as I get back to the UK. Please accept my sincere apologies and my best wishes to you
Suzi"

We will obviously have to wait until she is back in the UK but hopefully the picture will disappear of their screen soon.

Regards,
Maggie

[Guest user]

Follow the debate on FB on this:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-English-Threads/149922565097843

[angielav]

It would be interesting to know what their target market is .. as its obviously not Breast Cancer patients.

[cherryorchard]

I have been a bit poorly the last couple of the days so don’t feel like going back and reading through the thread but I did have a look at the T-shirt.
If English Threads are raising money for BC this seems to be a strange way to go about it. The t-shirt says nothing about breast cancer. It’s just a T-shirt. Why donate the profits from this particular t-shirt to a breast charity? Because it is printed with two blue tits upon it which are placed roughly where a womans’ teats would be? If it wasn’t associated with a BC charity it would be thought a little tacky and only a bit witty. Associated with a BC charity, it is tactless.
In the world of charity, all donations are welcome, so I will stay neutral. Some people might find it amusing and buy it, I suppose.

[Guest user]

Hi Tors
I have previously posted to state that it's not the t shirt that's offensive (not that I would have worn it even before bc) it's the fact that it is being "used" to raise money for Breakthrough Cancer. I don't think that this has been thought through properly as I'm sure they could have designed a more "appropriate" t shirt to raise money for a cancer charity.

It's good to see that women are taking the stance with this and also that they are being listened to by the media, hopefully it will make both English Threads and Breakthrough Cancer take a long hard look at themselves.
Lizz xx

[Guest user]

Well said 8-)

[tors]

Hi.

Is there anyone on the forum who likes the Tshirt and thinks that as the money is being raised for breast cancer research we should accept it? Or who isn't bothered by the t shirt one way or the other.? You will not be castigated for your views, I would welcome anyone who thinks differently to say so. This is not a thread to discuss the merits of pinkification, it's a resource so we have concrete evidence one way or another on what the majority of this breast cancer forum members think of the Tshirt in the context of breast cancer. if there are any like or neutral views out there then we need to know to make this thread useful. Even if you don't normally post, I'd be grateful for your input just this once.

We need to remember that this is a public forum and it doesn't help our cause to slag off individuals as we just play into their hands when they are portraying us as a minority bunch of bullying breast cancer crusaders, so as Coach Calhoun said, keep it clean please, keep it clean.

Thanks

[Guest user]

Hi Gingerbud

I've got my 2 year old grandson in the morning so I've put The Write Stuff to record.

[Guest user]

I love the wright stuff- great news they're going to cover this + I hope they adress the issue more generally (the whole jokey, pink, trivialisation of bc). My only issue is how I'll manage to watch channel 5 all morning + not cartoonito/ Disney channel?! My little boy will not be impressed... 😉

[CheshireCheese]

The guy sounds a right cocky know-all sod. Maybe he'd understand what so many are upset about if we suggested he market a pair of men's underpants with two rugby balls on the front and the excuse that two funny shaped balls are a joke for those with testicular cancer?

[Guest user]

Power to the people 🙂

We shall not go quietly into the night.....

[Guest user]

their facebook page is taking comments again

[Ninja]

The tits T-shirt is still the first entry in their T-shirt gallery on their FB page. It's just not the wall photie.

Listen?

He sounds a right cocky s*d, so I doubt it.

[Guest user]

I see they have removed the tshirt. and all write ups on there wall.May be now there listen.

[hope4444]

Hear Hear et!

[et1]

Well done to the Wright Stuff for picking it up, let's hope it's the start of these companies listening to us and thinking how these tasteless items impact on those of us who have to live with this disease.

By the way 'DISLIKE'

[tors]

Great news, i've just heard that The Wright Stuff's researcher has this morning had a long conversation about this issue with one of our forum members who has contacted numerous media outlets to garner publicity. They are really interested and are planning to run the issue tomorrow if posdible. They know all about the fb entries for english threads, breakthrough and also the comments on here. Its on channel 5 in the morning. Well done to out bc buddy for being a rottweiller, and again shame on breakthrough and english threads for failing to evaluate the situation and remedy it.

[hope4444]

DISLIKE (intensely)!

[Guest user]

Thanks Starflower. I'll go on FB and dislike!

I'm also going to sit down when I've done my jobs and write an email to The Wright Stuff, explaining, if I can, some of the reasons why this sort of marketing is so unacceptable.

I've already emailed Brrakthrough Breast Cancer with my views. No doubt I'll get a reply tomorrow when they are back at work.

[Guest user]

I have been blocked and had my comments deleted from the English Threads wall but I will not be silenced and have set up a Boycott English Threads page on Facebook; please "like" the page if you DISLIKE this crass marketing ploy. English Threads have shown contempt for women living with breast cancer by deleting our comments. They care nothing for us and only want to make a quick dollar on the back of our suffering. I have also commented on Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Facebook page. They are more likely to pull their endorsement (hopefully) than English Threads are to show some conscience.

[Guest user]

Good to want to help out a charity, but not like this. T-shirt itself makes me feel uncomfortable - a bit sexist?. Breast cancer isn't 'cheeky' or 'light', for me it's the disease that could see my children lose their mother.
DISLIKE