First, there was a big brouhaha about a girls' t-shirt from JCPenney that read: "I'M TOO PRETTY TO DO HOMEWORK...So My Brother Has To Do It For Me." Then, Forever 21 put out an "ALLERGIC TO ALGEBRA" top that people got upset over. Both stores agreed to stop selling these shirts. 
At first, we were horrified too. What are these shirts saying about girls' intelligence? You can't be pretty and be awesome at homework? You can't wear pink and love doing complicated math? These shirts could be continuing the same false stereotypes women have been fighting against for decades, and that many of today's moms are hoping their daughters won't grow up with.On the other hand, however...they are just jokes. Bad ones, of course. Maybe folks should be shouting loudest about how lame the humor is here. Come on, can't you designers think of something funnier?
It's a tough call and one that each of you should make for yourself. It is interesting to know that t-shirts that make fun of education were not found in the boys' departments of these stores. What's up with that?
In the end, if you see something on a piece of clothing that just doesn't seem right to you, that makes you feel bad or just seems to make fun of something or someone in a mean or cliched way, don't buy it. Take a picture and ask your friends if they feel the same way. Write an email to the store to tell them what you think. It's dialogue and feedback like this that helps clothing retailers realize what might be offensive, and makes them really consider the message they're putting out there.
So what do you think? Are these shirts "sexist"? Tell us on our What's On Your Mind page!
