Forever 21 faces backlash over 'Fake News' biker shorts: 'This is not funny, cute or fashionable'
Just days after Forever 21 issued an apology for including low-carb Atkins bars in packages of online clothing orders, the store is facing backlash over a politically-charged piece of clothing featured on its website.
Biker shorts emblazoned with the phrase “Fake News” caught the attention of people on Twitter after a journalist named Katherine Fominykh posted a screenshot of the store’s online offering to her own account. There, she shared a sarcastic sentiment about the controversial phrase made famous by President Donald Trump.
Turns out, all you need to express your hatred for journalists in clothing form is $9.90, to be given to @Forever21! Wow, so affordable! pic.twitter.com/MrcYGjgCoz
— Katherine Fominykh (@katfominykh) July 22, 2019
“Turns out, all you need to express your hatred for journalists in clothing form is $9.90, to be given to @Forever21!” Fominykh shared with her followers. “Wow, so affordable!”
Immediately, people started to respond online to the sportswriter, saying that she is the person responsible for bringing the item of clothing to people’s attention. Many also said that the shorts didn’t have a negative connotation until Fominykh equated them to “hatred for journalists.”
They're almost sold out because of the attention you brought to them. 😆 Nothing is better for business than a SJW busybody.
— ELC ~ Le Chat? 😸🇺🇸 (@SHeatherly777) July 23, 2019
I anticipate they’ll be sold out soon. Forever 21 thanks you for the free publicity.
— Melissa Jankiewicz (@MelissaJankiew1) July 23, 2019
Thank you for pointing this out. I’m getting a pair for my wife and I
— Mike Showerrug (@MikeShowerrug) July 23, 2019
Looks like if they are expressing hate it would be for #fakenews, not journalists. I also don’t see anything related to “hate” other than your tweet about it.
— Welcie (@welcie) July 23, 2019
Not journalists. Just the ones who lie.
— BadAlice (@BadAliceTweets) July 23, 2019
Other reporters responded to the shorts, including Baltimore Sun reporter Pamela Wood who said that she didn’t find them “funny, cute or fashionable.”
This is not funny, cute or fashionable, @Forever21. Why are you selling this product? https://t.co/cXs0NeOMfD
— Pamela Wood (@pwoodreporter) July 23, 2019
I wish this was fake news, @Forever21. pic.twitter.com/0m3DAxvqE0
— Patience Burke (@TameTheGorilla) July 23, 2019
Still, people disagreed with both women and insisted that their stance was in opposition to free speech.
we call it: Freedom of expression
— Marja (@marjamena) July 23, 2019
Because A) there is a market and B) they can.
I'm surprised a reporter would balk at freedom of expression.— Schadenfreudelish (@aggierican) July 23, 2019
Others made the joke that Forever 21 should offer a pair with the phrase “Learn to code,” referring to a meme that went viral in January 2019 when a number of media companies were laying off journalists.
I wish they had some that said "learn to code"
— Kamen (@kamen_ryan) July 23, 2019
Forever 21 didn’t immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment, nor has the company publicly commented on the backlash. However, the item has seemingly been removed from its website.
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