Gabriela solon slams SM corporate social responsibility over statement shirt

A harmless play on words or a means of subtle seduction?

 

A lawmaker representing women’s rights group Gabriela slammed SM Store for selling a statement shirt which she believes promotes violence against women and children.

 

Rep. Emmi de Jesus has demanded an explanation from the retail giant on why a green shirt bearing the statement, “I promise I’ll pull out,” is available in the Boy Teen’s section of its department store. 

 

“Has SM's sense of corporate social responsibility gone so awry that it repeated the trespass of selling merchandise that promotes violence against women and children?” De Jesus asked in a statement on Tuesday.

 

Last week, Facebook user Lynn Lopez uploaded the photo of the statement shirt she saw at the SM department store in Fairview. In the caption, she wrote: “Wow, this is irresponsible and inappropriate.”

 

One of the comments noted: "Not sure if they're just insensitive to the issues or they just want attention. Ridiculous!" 
 

 

Be responsible

 

For De Jesus, the shirt appears to be coaxing boys to seduce women. 

 

"The play of words may sound like a harmless joke to marketers, but this has a subtle encouragement for young boys to seduce women and subject them to date rape,” she said.

 

The lawmaker called on major retailers to be responsible and be on the lookout for merchandise containing words that might be harmful to women and promote violence, bullying, voyeurism, and unsafe, non-consensual sex. 

 

“We believe [they should] keep their promise to screen merchandise for messages,” De Jesus said. 

 

SM Store had drawn flak in September 2014 when writer and poet Karen Kunawics posted a photo of a shirt with a message promoting rape.

 

The shirt that said "It's not rape, it's snuggle with a struggle" outraged the public, asking SM Store to be more responsible with their merchandise. 

 

SM Store eventually removed the shirt from its collection, saying the merchandise was unacceptable. – Xianne Arcangel/ VS, GMA News