Woman Says She Saw a Teen Girl Wearing a Shirt with a Slogan That Shouldn't Be 'Allowed' in Public, Sparks Internet Debate
Woman says she saw a teen girl wearing an 'unacceptable' shirt in public
The shirt featured a drawing of a pink cat with the words 'F--- Off'
The woman shared her story on a community forum, where people were divided over whether the shirt went too farA woman says she recently saw a teenage girl wearing a shirt that she found completely inappropriate — and she's wondering if other people feel the same.
She detailed her story in a post on Mumsnet.com, a U.K.-based community site where women can seek advice on a variety of topics. In her post, titled '[Am I being unreasonable] to think that approaching people while wearing this shirt is unacceptable?' the woman asked, explaining that she and her 7-year-old daughter were out for a walk in a local neighborhood at the time.
She said that during their walk, they stopped to pet a cat when 'a teenage girl who was standing outside her house vaping crossed the road to tell us the cat's name, names of other cats in the area, etc.'
'She was basically being very friendly and informative,' the woman said.
However, the original poster (OP) said that the girl was wearing a shirt that featured a pink cat and the words, 'F--- Off.'
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'My 7-year-old is well aware of this word as a swear word, but I do try to limit her exposure to it and feel that if you're wearing a t-shirt like this, you should not be initiating a conversation with a 7-year-old,' the OP continued.
'I didn't raise it with the girl — mainly because her conversation was so friendly, but it was a weird juxtaposition which made me and my [daughter] uncomfortable,' she said, adding that her daughter asked her why the teen was wearing the shirt 'several times' after the encounter.
'[I] just feel a t-shirt like this shouldn't be allowed to be worn in public,' she said at the end of her post.
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
A number of post commenters said that they personally would not be bothered by the encounter, and several people even found the OP's description of the teen endearing.
'Bless her. The walking contradiction that is teenagers,' one person said.
'Teenagers vaping and wearing rebellious clothing isn't groundbreaking. At least not where I live. They're still kids who are figuring things out,' said someone else.
Another person said, 'It wouldn't bother me. Children can hear and read swear words without using those words themselves.'
Others said that they thought the OP's feelings were valid and that good manners exist for a reason.
'I agree with you, OP,' one person said. 'I don't like it when people swear in public spaces, especially spaces where children are [...]. It's unnecessary.'
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The same person added, 'No one is claiming anyone will fall over and die if they see or hear the word 'f---,' but it's the gradual erosion of civil standards that leaves communities slightly worse off. If 'f--- off' is okay, [then] what about a t-shirt that says 'f--- off, c---'?' "
"You maintain standards to stop the slow descent into 'the state of nature.' [Standards] might seem silly or pointless, but they are a fence," they added.
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