Freedom of the (t-shirt) Press
Cafepress, and other sites like it, give people the power to design and sell t-shirts, mugs, mousepads, and other items. It's a neat little concept and, like so many other venues in this digital age, it gives average people the power to publish their thoughts. Sort of like blogging, only wearable.
I think there are, like, a bajillion items for sale. No topic is off limits (well, they do have some rules about content) and people get pretty darn creative.
There are 22 pages of items that come up when you search for "diabetes". Fundraising teams (JDRF walks, bike teams, even a skydiving team!) use the service to print their team shirts, and it's fun to see some of the stuff they come up with. I'm currently considering ordering a mug from the folks at Divabetic, and one of diabetestalkfest.com's terrific shirts.
Skimming through the diabetes tees, though, I came across a few I don't get, and one that flat-out floored me. It, to me, was wrong on so many levels. Let's just say that any product that can you used for your "diabetic dog" or your "diabetic child" skeeves me out (Nicole, is 'skeeves' in the dictionary yet? Let's start a campaign.) Intrigued? Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.
posted by Kassie @ 10:50 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
It's funny, I was looking at CafePress the other day, and also thought the 'No Treats' shirts were a bit odd. Like a huge backward step for everyone with diabetes.
'No Treats' Prader Willli Syndrome would be a different matter.
Hey Kassie -
Thanks for coming and welcoming me! I just took a look at those t-shirts and OH. MY. GOD. I pity the child whose parent thought these were a good idea. Flashbacks to the deprivation school of diabetes management - anyone want to send these folks an email explaining carb counting?
If my mother had put me in one of those, there would have been bloodshed. And if I tried to put my normally sweet tempered diabetic cat in one of them... (yes, I really do have a diabetic cat)
I could actually see some use for one for a diabetic dog - under some strange circumstances. Do strangers hand out treats at dog parks or something? I know the bank was always giving my dog a treat but typically if my dog was there to get a treat, I was there to say no.
As far as children go - it seems pretty damn sad. If you really felt like your infant or toddler needed something like this couldn't you do it in a much nicer way?
Maybe it's just meant as a joke?
I had a diabetic cat too and I don't think a t-shirt would have stopped the dog from giving him treats.
Sadly, neither skeeves nor skeevy are contained in the dictionary.
Yikes. It brings my head right back to the zoo... You know, the signs that said "Please don't feed the animals." You'd have to be a real freakshow of a parent to put that on your kid, I think...
People are always trying to feed a dog a treat, so perhaps the dog shirt has its purpose.
The ones for kids and babies are totally inappropriate, in fact I find them rather obscene. Good lord
imagine if it said:
"No Treats!"
Obese
No Treats!"
Sort of puts it in perspective, doesn't it? It's offensive. And so are those diabetic T-shirts.
Ugh....
First of all, I hate, hate, HATE the term diabetic. I know, this is something some people just don't care about one way or the other, but me? Bugs the crap out of me. My daughter is not a diabetic. She's a child who has diabetes. *ahem*
Second of all - what. the. fuck. I'd love to know who thought that was a good idea. Talk about perpetuating a myth. Jeesh.
Kim - I like your analogy.
Kerri's $.02 :
Some of that t-shirt nonsense is damn tacky.
I can totally see the dog thing. People are always trying to sneak pets some treats.
But to put that t-shirt on a kid is freakin weird and humiliating.
Thanks for visiting sweetblood even though I took a break. I like Kim's perspective. And I too am not a big fan of the term diabetic.
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